THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


The  RALPH  D.  REED  LIBRARY 

•O 

DEPARTMENT  OF  GEOLOGY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIF. 


V 


s 

H 


/PHOSPHATE  ROCKS  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA 

AND    THE 

"GREAT  CAROLINA  MARL  BED," 

WITH  FIVE  COLORED  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

A  POPULAR  AND  SCIENTIFIC  VIEW  OF  THEIR  ORIGIN, 
GEOLOGICAL  POSITION  AND  AGE  ; 


THEIR  CHEMICAL  CHARACTER  AND  AGRICULTURAL 
VALUE; 

TOGETHER  WITH 

A  HISTORY  OF  THEIR  DISCOVERY  AND  DEVELOPMENT. 

BY 

FRANCIS   S./HOLMES,  A.  M., 


LATE  PROFESSOR  OF  GEOLOGY  AND  PALAEONTOLOGY  IN  THE 
COLLEGE  OF  CHARLESTON. 

LECTURER  ON  GEOLOGY  AND  ZOOLOGY, 
CHARLESTON  LYCEUM. 

"  I  lay  it  down  as  true  that  experimental  philosophy  is  the  only  sure 
method  of  investigating  the  laws  of  Nature.  We  can  only  at  best  collate 
facts,  and  then  draw  deductions  which  we  call  reasoning,  but  without  these 
facts,  obtained  from  experiment,  our  knowledge  is  futile." — J.  B.  MILLER. 


CHARLESTON,  S.  C.: 

PUBLISHED    BY    HOLMES'    BOOK.    HOUSE. 
iS/O. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year    1870,   by 

FRANCIS  S.  HOLMES, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


WALKER,  EVANS  &  COGSWELL,  PRINTERS, 

Charleston,  S.  C. 


TlV 


Geology 
Library 


DEDICATION 
TO    THE   PEOPLE   OF    SOUTH    CAROLINA, 

fj*  (MY  NATIVE  STATE,) 

*"  ASD  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

^          PROFESSOR  MICHAEL  TUOMEY  AND  OF  DR.  THOS.  L.  BURDEN  ; 
CO 

73  TO 

JAMES  T.  WELSMAN,  ESQ.,  OF  CHARLESTON,  S.  C., 

M 

?!•  AND 

™  GEORGE  T.  LEWIS  AND  FREDK.  KLETT,  ESQS., 

OF    PHILADELPHIA,    PA., 


j 


This  little  work,  one  of  the  results  of  thirty  years'  observations  and  labor 
in  the  Geological  fields  of  the  Ashley, 

IS     RESPECTFULLY     DEDICATED. 

The  first  were  my  revered  friends  and  co-laborers  ;  and  the  last  are 
entitled  to  the  honor  and  distinction  of  having  at  once  recognized  the 
value  of  the  great  discovery  of  the  Phosphate  Rocks,  and  of  having  lib- 
erally  furnished  the  means  to  develop  these  long  hidden  treasures  PREPARED 
OF  OLD  by  the  GREAT  MASTER  BUILDER,  and  bid  up  in  store  for  the 
APPOINTED  TIME,  when  the  waste  places  of  the  earth  should  be  replenished 


447175 


SCIENTIFIC  TERMS  AND  POPULAR  NAMES. 


To  comprehend  fully  the  scientific  terms  used  in 
our  descriptions,  and  the  popular  names  of  the  objects 
of  which  we  treat,  is  of  the  first  importance,  in  order 
that  there  may  be  no  confusion  of  names,  and  that  the 
reader  may  clearly  understand  the  subject  before  him. 
The  common  or  popular  name  which  a  writer  in  this 
State  may  give  in  his  description  of  a  specimen  or 
object  in  Natural  History,  would  be  readily  understood 
in  his  own  County  or  neighborhood ;  but  in  an 
adjoining  County  or  State  the  object  may  be  known 
by  a  very  different  name,  and  the  people  be  misled 
by  the  description.  For  example :  an  intelligent 
traveller  on  a  visit  to  Sullivan's  Island,  enquired  the 
name  of  a  venomous  looking  reptile,  which  he  saw 
running  along  the  rail  of  a  fence,  and  he  was  told  that 
it  was  a  "  Salamander."  Passing  through  Georgia  a 
few  weeks  after,  he  was  invited  by  a  planter  to  visit 
his  fields,  where  the  laborers  were  engaged  in  clear- 
ing and  burning  the  pines  preparatory  to  the  next 
year's  crop.  During  the  walk  he  observed  that 
several  animals  had  just  been  caught  escaping  from 
the  burning  heaps  of  wood,  and  which,  though  resem- 
bling the  well  known  forms  of  the  tortoise  or  terra- 
pin, were  yet  dissimilar  from  any  he  had  ever  seen. 
The  farmer  told  him  they  were  called  Salamanders  or 
Gophers.  Soon  after,  visiting  an  orange  grove  in 


6  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Florida,  he  saw,  in  a  clearing  near  by,  a  number  of 
negroes  with  clubs  killing  what  looked  like  rats, 
escaping  from  the  burning  brush,  and  on  enquiring 
what  sort  of  rats  they  were,  he  was  politely  informed 
that  they  were  not  rats,  but  "  Salamanders." 

Here  we  find  a  lizard,  a  tortoise  and  a  rat  called  in 
three  different  States  by  the  same  name — Salamander ; 
whereas,  this  name  is  given  by  scientific  men  to  a 
little  lizard-like  animal,  that  in  its  general  form  and 
characteristics  seems  intermediate  between  the  frog 
and  the  lizard ;  and,  like  the  former,  is  amphibious  in 
its  habits.  They  are  abundant  in  the  up-country  of 
South  Carolina,  and  may  be  found  in  their  nests  under 
stones  in  wet  places,  often  with  many  eggs  around 
them. 

The  story  of  the  ancients  that  the  Salamander  is 
able  to  endure  fire  is  altogether  fabulous;  yet  no 
doubt  it  has  caused  the  name  Salamander  to  be  given 
to  the  Carolina  Lizard,  because  of  the  fiery  red  bag 
apparently  suspended  under  the  throat,  and  from 
which  it  is  said  to. "spit"  a  red  fluid  that  will  instantly 
quench  the  flames  of  a  burning  rail.  The  Gopher  and 
the  ground  rat  are  also  thus  called,  because  in  escap- 
ing from  their  burrows  under  ground,  directly  over 
which  are  the  burning  piles,  they  appear  to  endure 
the  hot  coals  without  injury.  It  is  admitted  it  is 
always  better  to  employ  plain  English  names  when 
they  serve  the  purpose  in  view,  but  when  each  county, 
or  each  popular  writer,  gives  the  same  name  to  a 
totally  different  object,  it  tends  only  to  confusion. 
Let  us  then  adhere  to  the  scientific  name,  when  one 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  7 

has  been  given,  and  make  it  universal ;  for  derived,  as 
it  usually  is,  from  languages  common  to  all  scientific 
men,  when  once  adopted,  there  can  no  longer  be  any 
misconceptions. 


NAMES  GIVEN  TO  THE  PHOSPHATE-ROCKS. 


Writers  have  called  these  rocks  by  different  names  ; 
this  has  occurred  even  in  the  writings  of  scientific 
men,  who  should  have  at  once  fixed  upon  one  name, 
and  brought  it  into  general  use. 

They  have  been  called  Marl-rocks,  Marl-stone, 
Bone-phosphates,  Phosphate-rocks,  Coprolites,  Con- 
glomerates, and  sometimes  Bone-rocks.  These  names 
have  been  so  used  by  writers  of  late  that  one  is  some- 
times at  a  loss  to  know  which  of  all  the  mineral  pro- 
ducts of  the  region  is  meant. 

That  there  may  hereafter  be  no  mistake  as  to  the 
name,  we  have  adopted  that  of  PHOSPHATE- ROCKS,  as 
the  best  and  most  comprehensive.  For,  though  by 
the  terms  Bone-phosphates,  Marl-rocks,  or  Marl- 
stones,  they  might  very  properly  be  called,  we  think 
the  name  Phosphate-rocks,  is  more  in  accordance 
with  popular  usage,  and  conveys  also  a  better  idea  of 
their  true  character. 

And  here  it  may  be  remarked,  that  these  rocks  are 
not  Conglomerates,  Coprolites,  or  Bones,  and  that  the 
teeth  and  bones  which  are  found  mingled  with  the 
Phosphate-rocks  in  their  beds,  should  not  be  called 


8  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Phosphate-rocks,  but  fossil  teeth  and  fossil  bones  ;  and 
that,  too,  notwithstanding  their  richness  (when  thus 
associated)  in  Phosphate  of  Lime. 

When  we  speak  of  MARL,  we  mean  simply  "  that 
compound  of  earthy  mixtures  of  which  Carbonate  of 
Lime,  in  any  form,  constitutes  either  the  sole  or  the 
chief  value  as  a  manure,  and  which  is  in  such  large 
proportion  as  to  be  an  important  value,  and  the  mass 
soft  enough  to  be  excavated  and  broken  down  by 
ordinary  digging  utensils." 

GREEN  SAND  often  contains  no  Carbonate  of  Lime ; 
is  not  generally  rich  in  calcareous  matter,  and  there- 
fore should  be  called  GREEN-SAND  MARL.  MARL- 
STONE  is  calcareous,  of  a  stony  hardness,  and  not 
capable  of  being  dug,  because  not  of  an  earthy  tex- 
ture ;  cannot  be  pulverized  enough  by  ordinary  imple- 
ments to  be  used  as  a  manure,  but  requires  for  such 
purpose  to  be  burnt  to  lime.  It  is  truly  a  LIMESTONE, 
and  should  be  so  called. 

CLAY  is  a  soapy,  non-calcareous,  earthy  material, 
but  there  are  some  forms  or  varieties  that  are  impro- 
perly though  popularly  termed  Marl. 

COPROLITES  are  the  undigested  fecal  remains  of  ani- 
mals, fossilized ;  of  stony  hardness ;  often  petrified, 
and  sometimes,  though  not  often,  phosphatic  when 
taken  from  Tertiary  or  modern  rocks. 

CONGLOMERATES  are  strictly  commingled  fragments 
of  many  kinds  of  rocks,  or  they  may  be  termed  loose 
materials  of  a  rocky  character  cemented  together  in 
masses.  The  conglomerates  of  the  Ashley  Beds  are 
made  up  of  Phosphate-rocks,  Marls,  Pebbles,  Gravel, 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  9 

etc.,  etc.,  cemented  together  by  oxide  of  iron,  or  lime. 
They  often  contain  Pebbles  of  water-worn  quartz. 

BONES.  The  bones  which  are  found  in  such  num- 
bers intermingled  with  the  Phosphate-rocks,  are  not 
rocks  in  any  sense  of  the  term,  nor  are  the  PHOSPHATE- 
ROCKS  bones.  Many  believe  the  Phosphate-rocks  to 
be  masses  of  true  bone  fossilized ;  but  this  is  a  mis- 
take ;  they  never  were  bones  at  any  time,  but  were  orig- 
inally Calcareous  rocks.  This  is  evidenced  by  the 
shells,  corals  and  corallines  of  which  they  are  com- 
posed ;  and  by  the  general  character  of  the  "  mother 
bed  "  from  which  they  were  taken  to  be  redeposited 
in  basins,  where  by  a  chemical  process  (hereafter 
described)  they  were  converted  from  a  Carbonate  of 
Lime-rock  or  Marl,  into  a  Phosphate  of  Lime-rock, 
containing  very  little  Carbonate  of  Lime. 


EARLIEST    NOTICE    OF    THE    PHOSPHATE 
ROCKS. 

This  seems  to  be  the  proper  place  to  introduce  a 
short  article  which  appeared  in  the  August  number, 
for  this  year,  (1870,)  of  THE  RURAL  CAROLINIAN, 
under  the  above  heading.  The  author  signs  himself 
P.  H.  M.,  and  refers  the  reader  to  a  notice  of  Phos- 
phate rocks  published  by  Judge  John  Drayton  (1802) 
in  his  "  VIEW  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA,"  page  40,  and  he 
gives  extracts  which  I  quote  in  part,  as  follows.  In 
alluding  to  the  regular  Phosphates,  he  says  :  "  Teeth 


io  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

of  unusual  size  have  been  found  in  this  State  (South 
Carolina)  as  far  south  as  Stono  Swamp.  Bones  and 
teeth  of  large  dimensions  were  in  1795  dug  out  of 
Biggin  Swamp,  at  the  head  of  the  west  branch  of 
Cooper  River,  two  miles  above  Biggin  Bridge.  This 
was  effected  by  Colonel  John  C.  Sens,  engineer  to  a 
company  for  opening  a  canal  between  Santee  and 
Cooper  Rivers.  He  found  them  eight  or  nine  feet 
under  ground ;  among  them  were  grinders  bearing 
all  the  marks  of  a  carnivorous  animal ;  others  were  of 
a  different  and  much  larger  texture,  apparently 
belonging  to  a  graminivorous  animal.  There  was 
also  a  large  tusk  three  or  four  feet  long,  which 
Colonel  Sens  is  of  opinion  resembled  that  of  an 
elephant." 

The  writer,  P.  H.  M.,  goes  on  to  remark :  "  By 
these  extracts  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Phosphates  were 
known  to  exist  even  seventy-five  years  ago,  but  the 
knowledge  of  their  great  use  and  value  was  wanting." 

It  is  here  intimated  that  fossil  teeth,  shells  and 
bones  are  Phosphate-rocks.  Like  others,  he  fails 
to  distinguish  rocks  from  bones,  and  supposes  the 
animal  remains  spoken  of  by  Judge  Drayton  to 
be  the  same  as  the  Phosphate-rocks  of  the  present 
day  ;  whereas  these  are  rocks  and  the  others  bones. 

And  now  a  word  as  to  the  theory  of  Bernadin  de 
St.  Pierre,  applied  or  quoted  by  Judge  Drayton, 
regarding  the  origin  of  these  teeth  and  bones  of 
which  he  speaks,  these  last,  be  it  observed,  are  not 
Phosphate-rocks. 

Supposing  it   (the  origin)  "  to  have  arisen  from  the 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  1 1 

fusion  of  ice  at  either  pole,"  he  says  :  "  Then  it  was 
that  all  the  plans  of  Nature  were  reversed  ;  complete 
islands  of  floating  ice,  loaded  with  white  bears  ran 
aground  among  the  palm  trees  of  the  Torrid  Zone, 
and  the  elephants  of  Africa  were  tossed  amidst  the 
fir  groves  of  Siberia,  where  their  larger  bones  are  still 
found  to  this  day."  This  theory  might  have  been 
properly  accepted  by  Judge  Drayton  and  his  cotem- 
poraries,  for  at  that  day  but  little  was  known  of  such 
things ;  but  there  is  no  excuse  for  a  writer  in  a 
monthly  journal,  published  in  this  the  "  Telegraphic 
age,"  who  repeats  these  "  old  time  stories."  These 
bones  have  nothing  to  do  with  Phosphate-rocks,  for 
just  such  teeth  and  bones  are  found  throughout  the 
salt-licks  of  Kentucky,  the  swamps  of  New  York, 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Alabama  and  Florida,  and 
in  very  many  parts  of  England  ;  also,  on  the  Conti- 
nents of  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  and  in  places  too 
where  there  is  no  Phosphate-rock. 

And  finally,  the  same  author,  as  if  to  settle  the 
whole  matter  and  put  aside  all  doubts  as  to  the  dis- 
covery at  that  early  time  of  the  Phosphate-rocks, 
writes  thus:  "  By  reference,  however,  to  the  VIEW  OF 
SOUTH  CAROLINA,  by  JUDGE  JOHN  DRAYTON,  page  40, 
there  will  be  seen  drawings  of  six  different  shapes  of 
Phosphatic  rocks." 

Satisfied  as  soon  as  we  read  it  that  this  was  the 
greatest  error  of  all,  we  immediately  procured  the  book 
from  the  Charleston  Library,  and  after  carefully  search- 
ing the  whole  volume,  especially  the  plate  at  page  40, 
we  found  no  drawings  of  rocks  nor  of  anything  like 


1 2  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

rocks ;  nor  can  the  word  rock  be  found  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  these  plates  by  Judge  Drayton.  In  fact,  the 
Judge  accurately  describes  the  six  figures  referred  to, 
and  calls  them  by  their  proper  names — BONES  AND 
TEETH  !  And  these  bones  and  teeth  the  writer,  notwith- 
standing, calls  Phosphate  Rocks !  Besides,  there  is  not 
a  carnivorous  tooth  figured  in  the  plate ;  all  belong  to 
herbivorous  animals,  as  the  Mammoth  and  the  Masto- 
don. The  teeth  and  bones  of  carnivorous  animals, 
the  Shark,  Whale,  Seal,  Phocodons,  Squalodons  and 
Porpoise,  so  common  in  the  Phosphate  basins,  and 
characteristic  of  the  mother  bed,  are  imbedded  (and 
not  merely  intermingled]  in  the  Phosphate  rocks; 
whereas  the  teeth  and  bones  of  land  animals  are  only 
intermingled  with  these  nodulous  masses.  The  re- 
mains of  the  first  named  animals  belong  to  marine 
formations,  as  do  the  phosphatic  nodules.  The  last 
named  are  from  lacustrine  or  lake  and  river  deposits. 


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And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed" 


>3 


GEOLOGICAL    HISTORY    AND  ORDER    OF    SUCCESSION    OF 
THE  FOSSILIFEROUS  BEDS  OF  THE  CHARLESTON  BASIN. 


PRESENT  AGE. 

CULTIVATED  SOIL  AND  SUBSOILS.   -J       (Man  and  the  animals  which 
j^are  living,  his  contemporaries.) 

C  RECENT    OR    POST    PLEIOCENE 
SANDS  AND  SHELLS. — PHOSPHATE  j  AGE. 

ROCKS  AND  CLAYS.  j       (Period  of  the  advent  of  man 

[  upon  this  Continent.) 

f  PLEIOCENE  AGE.  ~| 

SANDS  AND  BEDS  OF  LOOSE  MA-  ;  (So-called  because  most  of 
TERIAL,  containing  fossil  shells,  j  its  fossil  shells  belong  to  species 
etc.  j  now  living.) 


SANDS  AND  CLAYS,  containing 
fossil  shells,  teeth  and  bones. 
( None  in  South  Carolina  of  this 
meiocene  age.) 


OR  MIDDLE  TERTI- 
ARY AGE. 

(Extensively  exposed  in  Vir- 
ginia and  other  States  north 
of  South  Carolina,  having  a 
smaller  number  of  fossils  be- 
longing to  recent  species.) 


SANDS  AND  MARLS. — Very  rich 
in  Carbonate  of  Lime,  and  exten- 
sively developed  in  this  State.  It 
was  called  by  Mr.  Ruffin  the 
"GREAT  CAROLINIAN  MARL  BED." 
The  upper  layers  or  Ashley  Marl 
is  known  as  the  "  FISH  BED  "  of 
the  Charleston  Basin. 


EOCENE   AGE  OR  OLDEST 
TERTIARY. 

(Dawn  of  the  creation  of 
recent  animals.  No  species 
found  fossil  in  the  Carolina  Beds 
are  now  living.) 


SANDS,  CLAYS  AND  MARLS, 
poor  in  Carbonate  of  Lime,  though 
rich  in  fossil  shells. 


f  CRETACEOUS   OR    CHALK   AGE.   I 

(Its  fossil  shells  and  bones 
correspond  to  those  of  the 
chalk  beds  of  Europe.  There 
is  no  TRUE  CHALK  in  America.)  J 


14  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

As  seen  in  the  foregoing  table  of  the  fossil iferous 
beds  exposed  in  South  Carolina,  the  Cretaceous  for- 
mation, which  belongs  to  the  Chalk  age  of  Europe, 
is  the  lowest.  It  is  exposed  on  the  banks  of  the  Pee 
Dee  River.  In  boring  the  Artesian  Well,  in  Charles- 
ton, it  was  reached  at  about  eight  hundred  feet  below 
the  surface,  and  in  the  place  where  it  properly  belongs 
in  the  sequence,  directly  under  the  Eocene  Marl  Bed. 
On  the  Pee  Dee  it  occurs  in  alternate  layers  of  soft 
Marl  and  hard  Limestone  rock ;  its  color  is  a  dark 
blueish  gray,  though  sometimes  the  limestone  is 
yellowish.  Cretaceous  Marls  are  poor,  they  rarely 
contain  more  than  thirty  to  forty  per  cent,  of  Car- 
bonate of  Lime.  The  Limestones  of  this  age,  how- 
ever, are  rich,  varying  from  sixty  to  seventy-five  per 
cent.  In  the  annexed  Plate,  No.  I,  it  is  represented 
as  the  lowest  stratum. 

Second,  in  the  ascending  order,  comes  the  Eocene, 
or  oldest  bed  of  the  Tertiary  Division.  It  is  exten- 
sively developed  in  South  Carolina,  especially  on  the 
Ashley  and  Cooper  Rivers,  and  therefore  called  by 
Mr.  Ruffin  "The  Great  Carolinian  Marl  Bed,"  and  now 
known  to  be  one  of  the  thickest  and  richest  deposits 
of  MARL  in  the  world ;  containing  from  fifty-five  to 
ninety-five  per  cent,  of  Carbonate  of  Lime.  It  has  been 
bored  to  the  depth  of  seven  hundred  feet  in  the 
Artesian  Well  of  Charleston,  and  though  all  the  strata 
to  that  depth  are  homogenous,  yet  they  vary  in  tex- 
ture, according  to  the  character  of  the  animal  remains 
of  which  they  are  composed. 

The  Marl  proper  is    covered  with   thin   layers  of 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  \  5 

sand  and  blue  clay,  containing  casts  of  shells  beauti- 
fully preserved ;  and  also  great  numbers  of  fossil, 
sharks'  teeth  and  cetacean  bones ;  it  was  called,  in 
1839,  the  FISH  BED  OF  THE  CHARLESTON  BASIN. 
From  the  "  proceedings  "  of  the  American  Associa- 
tion for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  at  a  meeting  held 
at  Charleston,  March,  1850,  we  make  the  following 
extracts.* 

"  Of  the  remains  of  marine  vertebrata,  it  has  been 
pronounced  by  Professor  Agassiz  to  be  the  greatest 
cemetery  he  every  saw.  I  have  myself  collected  from 
it  many  thousand  specimens  of  the  teeth  of  Squalidae, 
(sharks,)  and  am  confident  thirty  thousand  of  such 
specimens  have  been  taken  from  it  within  the  last  six 
years.  Prior  to  the  visit  of  Professor  Agassiz  a  few 
specimens  only  of  the  remains  of  QUADRUPEDS  had 
been  found  upon  the  Ashley.  This  was  owing  to  the 
fact  that  collectors  of  these  fossils  were  searching  in 
the  MARL  and  not  in  the  overlying  beds.  These 
fossils  (land  quadrupeds)  were  at  first  supposed  to 
belong  to  the  Marl,  (like  the  fish  teeth,)  but  subse- 
quent investigations  show  that  they  do  not,  and  I  will 
now  proceed  to  point  out  their  true  position  in  the 
sequence.  Between  the  Post-Pleiocene  and  the  Marl 
we  have  two  or  three  strata,  containing  fossils,  which 
make  them  exceedingly  interesting  to  the  geologist, 
and  which  are  not  found  in  the  Eocene  Marl  Bed 
below. 

"  The  first  of  these  is  a  thin,  irregular  stratum  of 
loose  gravelly  sand,  which  lies  immediately  upon  the 

Observations  on  the  Geology  of  Ashley  River,  by  F.  S.  Holmes. 


1 6  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Marl,  and  which  seldom  exceeds  eight  inches  in  thick- 
ness.* From  the  number  of  fish  teeth  and  bones 
found  in  this  sand,  Professor  Tuomey  called  it  the 
"  Ashley  fish-bed. "  Above,  and  in  a  manner  mixed 
with  it,  is  another  of  irregular  and  partly  rolled  frag- 
ments of  what  is  commonly  called  Marl-rock — the 
interstices  between  each  being  filled  with  blue  mud. 
These  rocks  contain  the  same  forms  of  fossils  as  are 
found  in  the  Marl  below ;  but  the  lime  which  they 
must  have  contained  has  been  extracted,  leaving  a 
silicious  mass  much  water-worn  and  boulder-like  in 
appearance,  and  emitting  a  foetid  odor  when  broken. 
The  Marl  of  the  Ashley  contains  about  70  per  cent, 
of  Carbonate  of  Lime — these  only  a  small  quantity, 
say  2  or  3  per  cent. 

"  That  they  belong  to  and  were  broken  off  the  Marl 
bed  below,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but  at  what  period 
they  were  washed  up  and  deposited  where  we  now 
find  them,  is  still  undetermined.  They  extend  over 
many  miles  of  the  surrounding  country ;  increase  in 
size  towards  the  northwest,  and  decrease  in  the  oppo- 
site course,  southwest,  where  we  find  them  under  the 
City  of  Charleston. 

"  For  the  most  part,  they  are  enveloped,  as  I  said, 
in  a  matrix  of  blue  mud  or  clay,  though  often  a  peaty 
substance  (marsh  roots  ?)  takes  the  place  of  the 
clay,  and  again  the  clay  and  peat  are  missing,  and 
they  are  found  in  the  sand. 

"  Next  in  the  order  of  super-position  are  the  red 

*  In  boring  the  Artesian  Well  in  Charleston,  this  stratum  was  reached 
at  about  sixty  feet  below  the  surface,  and  from  it  a  supply  of  good  water  was 
obtained  ;  the  water  rises  within  four  feet  of  the  surface. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  17 

clay,  yellow  sands,  and  alluvium  of  the  country ;  the 
Post-Pleiocene,  like  the  Miocene  in  other  parts  of  the 
State,  is  only  found  in  patches  ;  its  geological  position 
is  under  the  red  clay. 

"  In  the  strata  of  sand,  marl-rock,  blue  mud  and 
peat,  just  described,  we  find  the  following  fossils  : 
Bones  and  teeth  of  Mastodon,  Megatherium,  Dino- 
therium,  Elephant,  Deer,  Horse,  Cow,  Hog,  Muskrat, 
etc.,  etc.,  mixed  up  with  the  remains  of  marine  ani- 
mals ;  but  in  the  Marl  not  a  single  fragment  of  a 
Mammalian  has  yet  been  discovered,  except  cetacean. 
If  ever  a  specimen  has  been  taken  from  the  Marl,  it 
was  near  its  surface — perhaps  from  some  hole  or 
depression  so  shallow  as  to  escape  the  notice  of  the 
finder,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  this  manner 
several  naturalists  have  been  deceived  in  supposing 
these  fossils  to  have  come  out  of  the  true  Eocene 
Marl. 

"  I  am  convinced  they  belong  to  a  more  recent 
formation,  and  we  must  await  further  investigation 
ere  we  attempt  a  determination  of  the  ages  of  these 
beds." 

The  Eocene  Marl  is  soft  and  easily  dug ;  its  color 
is  a  greenish  yellow  ;  and  it  is  composed  mainly  of 
microscopic  shells  and  infusorial  cases.  These  shells 
belong  to  a  group  called  by  naturalists  POLYTHALAMIA, 
which  means  shells  with  many  chambers  or  apart- 
ments, like  the  AMMONITE  and  the  NAUTILUS.  Com- 
paratively, these  shells  are  of  gigantic  size.  The 
late  Professor  Bailey,  of  West  Point,  in  a  letter 
to  Professor  J.  Lawrence  Smith,  remarks :  "You  c,an 

2 


1 8  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

inform  the  good  people  of  Charleston  that  their  city 
is  built  upon  a  bed  of  animalcules  several  hundred  feet 
in  thickness,  every  cubic  inch  of  which  is  filled  with 
myriads  of  perfectly  preserved  microscopic  shells. 
These  shells,  however,  do  not,  like  those  beneath 
Richmond  and  Petersburg,  etc.,  belong  to  the  silicious 
infusoriae,  but  are  all  derived  from  those  minute  calca- 
reous shelled  creatures  called  by  Professor  Ehren- 
burg  Polythalamia.  You  are  aware  that  Ehrenburg 
proved  chalk  to  be  chiefly  made  up  of  such  shells, 
and  you  doubtless  will  be  delighted  to  learn  that  the 
Tertiary  beds,  beneath  your  city,  are  filled  with  more 
numerous  and  more  perfect  specimens  of  these  beau- 
tiful forms,  than  I  have  ever  seen  in  chalk  or  marl 
from  any  other  locality.  These  forms  are  destined 
to  be  of  great  value  in  geology,  and  when  the  precise 
position  of  the  formation  beneath  Charleston  shall  be 
fixed,  and  the  forms  belonging  to  each  bed  determined, 
we  shall  then  have  so  perfect  a  guide  to  the  geology 
of  a  large  portion  of  our  Southern  country,  that  by  a 
mere  glance  through  the  microscope  at  portions  of 
strata,  scarcely  enough  to  be  seen  by  the  naked  eye, 
their  characteristic  fossils  may  be  seen,  and  their  true 
position  in  the  series  determined.  It  will  be  a  great 
labor,  however,  to  give  the  subject  all  the  develop- 
ment it  needs." 

There  are  comparatively  few  oyster  or  hard  shells, 
or  corals  found  in  the  Eocene  Marl.  The  Ashley 
Bed  is  about  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  thick,  as 
ascertained  from  the  Charleston  Artesian  Well  borings, 
and  rests  upon  the  Cooper  River  Marl  Beds,  which, 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  19 

though  of  the  same  geological  age,  (Eocene,)  were 
deposited  first,  and  hence  are  the  oldest  and  also  the 
firmest  of  the  two,  composed  as  they  are  of  a  greater 
number  of  hard  shelled  mollusca,  like  the  clam  and 
oyster  ;  it  is  also  of  a  lighter  color. 

These  MARLS  of  the  Cooper  and  Ashley  Beds, 
abound  in  remains  of  cartilaginous  fish,  especially 
of  the  shark  family,  though  they  also  contain 
numerous  bones  and  teeth  of  Cetaceans,  or  whale- 
like  animals,  many  of  which  were  larger  or  as 
large  as  the  whales  found  in  the  seas  of  the  present 
time.  From  the  number  of  their  bones  and  teeth 
exhumed  or  washed  out  by  the  waves  of  the  ocean 
they  must  have  existed  in  large  "shoals,"  and, together 
with  the  enormous  sharks  of  that  age,  animals  rival- 
ling the  whale  in  size,  must  have  constituted  a  vast 
marine  army  of  ravenous  "  flesh  eaters  "  and  capa- 
cious "scavengers  "  of  the  Eocene  Ocean.  Its  geolog- 
ical position  is  seen  in  Plate  I. 

Underlying  the  Cooper  River  beds,  as  seen  in  the 
same  Plate  I,  are  the  Santee-marls  ;  these  are  also  of 
the  Eocene  day  or  period,  but  unlike  the  superim- 
posed or  later  deposites  of  the  Ashley  and  Cooper, 
they  are  composed  principally  of  hard  shells  and 
corals  or  corallines,  though  the  corals  are  not  of  the 
"  Reef-building  order "  of  corals.  It  is  very  white 
when  dried,  and  was  called  by  Professor  Tuomey  the 
"  Coralline  Bed  of  the  Charleston  Basin."  In  two  or 
three  places  are  found  interstratified  with  these  Santee 
beds,  layers  of  soft  pulverulent  Green-sand  Marl,  con- 
taining only  about  25  per  cent,  of  Carbonate  of 


2O  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Lime,  while  the  coralline  beds  have  94  per  cent,  of 
this  substance.  Green-sand  Marls  are  valuable  as  a 
mineral  fertilizer  on  account  of  and  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  of  Potash  they  contain. 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  large  deposits 
of  Green-sand  Marls  in  New  Jersey  are  in  beds  of  the 
Cretaceous  age,  whereas  the  Green-sand  of  South 
Carolina  is  obtained  from  what  Mr.  Ruffin,  Professor 
Tuomey,  and  Dr.  R.  W.  Gibbes  call  the  Eocene 
Beds  ;  and  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  we  also  have 
"  followed  in  their  footsteps,"  and  have  called  this 
Carolina  Marl  Formation  a  middle  age. 

Many  years  ago  we  obtained  fossils  from  these  beds 
which  could  not  be  distinguished  from  similar  forms 
collected  in  the  New  Jersey  sands  or  Green-sand  Marl 
of  the  Cretaceous  formation ;  when  this  discovery 
was  forwarded  to  our  friend  and  colleague,  the  answer 
received  was  :  "  Be  careful !  from  your  short  experi- 
ence you  cannot  pronounce  positively."  Now  that 
twenty-six  years  have  passed  by,  and  with  hammer 
still  in  hand,  we  humbly  submit  to  the  geologists  of 
America,  that  as  the  so-called  Eocene  of  the  Charles- 
ton Basin  does  not  contain  a  single  species — yet  dis- 
covered— of  recent  or  living  animals,  but  several 
known  forms  of  Cretaceous  Mollusca,  that  it  should 
belong  to  an  intermediate  period,  a  Sub-Eocene  or 
Super-Cretaceous.  If  we  mistake  not,  Sir  Charles 
Lyell  called  it  Cretaceous  in  1842. 

The  Santee  Marls  are  noted  also  by  all  writers  on 
these  subjects,  from  the  time  of  Judge  Drayton,  in 
1802,  for  a  remarkable  deposit  containing  gigantic 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  2 1 

oyster  shells,  which  are  of  two  very  well  defined  and 
remarkable  species  :  the  long  and  the  globular.  The 
long  species  are  sometimes  found  twenty-three  inches 
in  length,  only  two  and  a  half  inches  wide,  and  about 
three  inches  thick  at  the  hinge.  They  resemble  in 
outline  the  "  Racoon  Oyster  "  of  the  Southern  coast, 
now  living  in  its  bays  and  harbors.  The  other  species 
weigh  five  or  six  pounds,  (each  shell.)  They  are 
generally  "  as  wide  as  they  are  long,  and  as  thick  as 
they  are  broad."  In  a  word,  they  are  globular  and 
very  ponderous. 

This  remarkable  shell  bed  extends  from  the  Santee 
to  the  Savannah  Rivers  ;  the  strike  of  the  outcrop  of 
the  bed  is  parallel  with  the  coast  line. 


THE    BUHRSTONE    OR    SILICIFIED-SHELL 
FORMATION  OF  THE  EOCENE  AGE. 

Referring  again  to  Plate  I,  the  reader  will  see  in  the 
left-hand  corner  of  the  lowest  division  of  the  diagram, 
the  name  of  a  formation  called  "  Buhrstone,"  which 
is  the  exposed,  upturned,  elevated  edge  or  out- 
crop of  the  Santee  Beds.  It  is  clearly  exposed  on 
the  farm  of  Mr.  Caraduc,  near  Aiken.  This  "  Buhr- 
stone "  is  a  "  living  witness  "  of  the  remarkable  and 
diverse  changes  which  the  same  "rock"  undergoes 
when  subjected  to  the  effects  of  different  geological 
agents,  as  exhibited  in  itself  and  in  the  Phosphate 
rocks ;  both  originally  of  the  same  geological  forma- 
tion, viz.,  the  Eocene. 


22  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

The  "  Buhrstone "  takes  its  name  from  a  similar 
rock  formation,  of  the  same  age,  extensively  quarried 
in  France.  It  is  formed  into  millstones  and  then 
exported  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  Most  of  the  stones 
now  used  in  our  Rice  mills  for  grinding  rice  are  French 
Buhrstones.  In  the  beds  exposed  at  Aiken,  alluded 
to  above,  we  find  the  same  fossil  shells  and  corals  as 
are  contained  in  the  Santee  Marls  exposed  in  the  low 
country ;  but  what  is  most  remarkable,  and  almost 
marvellous  to  the  general  reader,  the  rock  is  not 
like  the  Santee  Marl,  calcareous ;  that  is  to  say,  a 
lime-rock,  but  the  shells  and  corals  or  corallines,  have 
been  converted  into  a  flint  or  silicified  mass,  each  shell, 
coral  or  fossil  preserving  its  original  shape  and  size 
and  retaining  every  wrinkle,  indentation  or  other 
characteristic  of  the  original.  This  change  caused 
by  a  chemical  agent,  has  converted  a  mass  of  lime 
rock,  or  Calcareous  Marl  into  a  Buhrstone  or  silicious 
indurated  Marl  rock,  and  is  analogous  to  the  con- 
version of  the  rocks  of  the  "  Upper  "  Ashley  Marl, 
of  the  same  age,  (Eocene,)  formed  under  the  same 
conditions  as  were  those  of  the  Santee  Marls,  but 
subjected  ultimately  to  the  effects  of  two  distinct  and 
independent  geological  agents,  thereby  producing 
two  distinct  kinds  of  rocks,  one  a  flint-like  rock, 
(Buhrstone,)  whose  silex  (or  flint)  was  derived  from 
the  surrounding  sand  hills  of  that  region,  (Aiken,) 
the  other  (a  Phosphate-rock)  whose  Phosphoric 
essence  was  derived  from  animal  matter  under  the 
influence  of  which  its  chemical  character  was 
changed. 


And  tJic  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  23 

MEIOCENE  FORMATION. 

Next  in  the  order  of  superposition  is  the  Meio- 
cene  or  Middle  formation  of  the  Tertiary  Period. 
The  Marls  and  rocks  of  this  age  have  not  been  found, 
as  yet,  in  South  Carolina.  The  beds  supposed  by 
Mr.  Ruffin  to  belong  to  this  age,  proved,  upon  careful 
examination  by  Professor  Tuomey,  to  be  Pleiocene, 
according  to  Sir  Charles  Lyell's  classification.  (See 
Tuomey  and  Holmes'  Pleiocene  Fossils  of  South 
Carolina,  p.  ix.)  The  Meiocene  is  found  in  Virginia 
and  Maryland ;  but  the  Carolina  Beds  are  younger 
and  belong  to  the  Pleiocene  age. 


THE  PLEIOCENE  FORMATION. 

According  to  Professor  Tuomey  the  beds  of  this 
age  "  are  generally  made  up  of  loose  materials,  such 
as  sand,  clay,  gravel  and  marl ;  rarely  indurated." 
*  *  "  Seldom  thick  or  continuous,  being  for  the  most 
part  found  in  detached  patches  of  limited  extent." 

A  beautiful  and  instructive  example  of  the  Pleio- 
cene, with  a  band  of  carbonaceous  matter  of  Post- 
Pleiocene  age  resting  upon  it,  may  be  seen  at  the 
plantation  of  the  late  George  Henry  Smith,  Esq.,  on 
Goose  Creek,  twelve  miles  from  Charleston  ;  and  is 
indeed  well  worthy  of  a  visit  from  those  interested.  It 
is  the  only  locality  where  the  Eocene  or  Great  Caro- 
linian Marl  Bed,  the  Pleiocene,  and  the  Post-Pleio- 
cene  are  found  in  position,  regularly  superimposed. 


24  Phosphate  Rocks  in  South  Carolina, 

The  Meiocene  is  represented,  in  Plate  I,  as  being 
parallel  with  the  Pleiocene,  that  is  to  say  of  the  same 
age ;  geographical  position  may  have  caused  the  zoo- 
logical difference.  Formerly  these  beds  were  sup- 
posed to  be  Meiocene,  but  Professor  Tuomey  and 
the  writer  carefully  studied  them,  and  discovered 
that  they  are  younger  and  contain  a  greater  number — 
forty^two  per  cent. — of  recent  or  living  species  than 
the  Meiocene  of  Virginia,  which  contains  only  thir- 
teen per  cent.  (See  Tuomey  and  Holmes'  Fossils  of 
South  Carolina,  p.  viii.) 


THE  AGE  OF  THE  PHOSPHATE-ROCK— 
BASINS  OF  THE  ASHLEY  AND  OF  PRE- 
HISTORIC MAN. 

Next  in  the  geological  series,  as  seen  in  the  dia- 
gram, Plate  I,  are  the  beds  of  this  exceedingly  inte- 
resting age  ;  the  period  in  which  (as  indicated  by  the 
fossils  collected)  man  first  made  his  appearance  on 
this  Continent.  To  our  mind  the  Post-Pleiocene  is 
the  connecting  link  between  the  Anti-Historic  or  Ter- 
tiary, and  the  Historic  or  Recent  age ;  and  may  be 
properly  designated  the  age  of  PRE-HISTORIC 
MAN. 

Formerly,  and  before  these  beds  had  been  carefully 
studied,  they  were  supposed  to  belong  to  the  Tertiary, 
and  therefore  considered  (and  in  the  tables  of  classi- 
fication, placed)  uppermost  in  the  division  according 
to  Lyell's  arrangement,  being  the  youngest.  But 


And  tJie  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  25 

since  the  discovery  of  human  bones  and  works  of  art 
in  1844,  in  beds  of  this  age,  in  the  Ashley  Basin; 
and  of  similar  discoveries  (1854)  in  the  lake  dwellings 
of  Switzerland,  and  also  in  the  Somme  Valley  in 
France,  they  must  now  be  referred  to  a  more  recent 
date,  the  Quartenary  period.  Its  sands,  rocks  and 
fossils  are  replete  with  interest  to  the  practical  man 
when  he  sees  and  comprehends  their  meaning,  and 
they  fascinate  beyond  description  the  scientific  ob- 
server who  after  long  years  of  study  realizes  in  the 
rocks  and  fossils  of  this  period  the  charming  revela- 
tions of  geology,  and  at  once  comprehends  their 
"  sweet  influences." 

Referring  again  to  Plate  I,  the  reader  will  observe 
that  we  have  divided  these  beds  into  two  forma- 
tions ;  first,  the  Post-Pleiocene  sands  and  shells ;  and 
second,  the  Phosphate-rock  deposits. 

The  shells  from  these  beds  appear,  when  taken 
from  the  sands,  as  fresh  and  perfect  as  those  picked 
up  on  the  sea  beaches  of  our  coast,  and  nearly  all  of 
them  are  of  the  same  species. 


RECENT   OR    HISTORICAL    AGE— PRESENT 
TIME. 

To  complete  the  geological  series,  as  represented 
in  the  table,  p.  13,  and  in  Plate  I,  we  find  that  after 
the  Post-Pleiocene  beds  comes  the  Recent  or  Histori- 
cal period  in  which  were,  and  are,  now  being  depos- 
ited the  mould  of  the  forests,  and  the  washing  of 


26  Phospliate  Rocks  of  Soutli  Carolina, 

the  hills,  forming  the  soils  of  our  cultivated  fields,  the 
mud  banks  of  our  bays  and  harbors,  and  periodically 
spreading  over  our  rice  fields  its  rich  and  fertilizing 
sediment,  brought  down  suspended  in  the  waters 
of  the  Rivers.  It  is  the  HISTORICAL  AGE,  the  age 
of  mind,  when  man  writes  in  "  Time's  Record  "  the 
passing  events  of  the  day.  It  is,  emphatically,  the 
telegraphic  age,  when  he  writes  with  a  pen  dipped  in 
the  electric  fluid,  and  transmits  his  messages  by  the 
"  sub-marine  railway,"  a  simple  wire  resting  on  the 
coral  beds  of  the  Ocean.  It  is,  also,  the  age  of  PHOS- 
PHATES AND  FERTILIZERS,  of  more  value  to  mankind 
than  the  mines  of  Golgonda  or  the  golden  sands  of 
California. 

Geologically,  the  rocks  of  this  period  are  called 
Recent,  and  are  placed  in  the  table  under  the 
Quarternary,  the  fourth  and  last  Division,  the  top- 
most layers  in  the  Diagram,  Plate  I.  To  it  belong 
the  soils  we  cultivate,  the  sands  and  clays  of  our  fields 
and  forests,  the  garden  loam  in  which  do  grow  flow- 
ers, and  roses,  and  fruits,  thus  causing  all  animated 
nature  to  realize  the  munificent  hand  of  the  Great 
Creator,  Our  Father,  who  liberally  dispenses  his 
"good  things"  to  the  Butterfly  and  the  worm  as 
freely  as  to  the  sons  of  men,  both  to  the  great  and 
the  small,  for  they  are  all  the  work  of  His  hands ! 

This  fourth  and  last  formation,  is  the  crowning 
crust  of  the  earth ;  in  the  geological  series  the  "  top- 
most stone ;"  formed  especially  for  man's  immediate 
use ;  always  receiving  the  rains  and  dews  of  Heaven, 
the  more  abundantly  to  minister  to  man's  wants  and 


And  tlic  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  27 

to  those  of  the  creatures  prepared  on  the  earth  and 
in  the  seas,  and  in  the  air  for  his  support,  pleasure 
and  happiness.  The  Worm,  the  Bee,  Ant,  Spider 
and  Butterfly,  are  all  ministering  angels  ! 


ORIGIN   OF  THE   PHOSPHATE-ROCKS, 

AND  FORMATION  OF  THE 

PHOSPHATE-ROCK  BASINS. 

If  the  reader  has  followed  us  in  the  attempt  to 
make  plain  the  order  of  superposition,  and  the  prom- 
inent characteristics  of  the  geological  formations  as 
described  in  the  foregoing  pages,  he  is  now  prepared 
to  go  with  us  also  into  a  consideration  and  examina- 
tion of  the  origin  of  these  rocks,  and  their  remarkable 
position,  as  seen  in  the  Charleston  Basin. 

And  first,  we  should  always  bear  in  mind  this 
important/^/1  .•  that  though  these  Basins  were  formed 
in  the  Post-Pleiocene  age,  the  rocks  deposited  in  them 
do  not  actually  belong  to  that  age,  but  in  fact,  to  the 
Eocene  an  older  formation.  It  has  been  ascertained 
beyond  doubt,  that  frequently,  rocks  or  fragments  of 
rocks  of  older  formations  and  therefore  of  greater 
age  are  found  in  newer  deposites  of  a  comparatively 
recent  date.  Quartz-pebbles,  and  fragments  of  water- 
worn  crystalline  rocks  are  often  seen  imbedded  in 
modern  clays  and  sands.  The  Phosphate-rocks  of 
these  basins,  like  the  Quartz-pebbles,  just  named, 


2$  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

have  been  derived  from  an  older  formation,  viz  : 
the  Eocene  Marl,  or  the  "  Great  Carolinian  Bed 
of  Marl,"  which  is  the  foundation  of  the  whole  sea- 
board country  of  South  Carolina,  and  as  represented 
in  Plate  I,  is  composed  of  the  Santee,  Cooper  and 
Ashley  River  Marls,  which  in  the  aggregate  are 
seven  hundred  feet  thick,  and  extend  from  North 
Carolina  into  Georgia.  Before  the  low  country  of 
South  Carolina  was  raised  above  the  level  of  the 
Ocean,  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic  beat  upon  the 
granitic  hills  of  Edgefield,  Lexington  and  Richland. 

The  shallow  water  of  the  coast  with  its  submarine 
formation  of  undulating  sand-banks  was  then,  as  now, 
resting  upon  this  surface  of  the  great  Marl  formation, 
of  Eocene  age ;  both  were  below  the  level  of  the 
Ocean,  (see  Plate  II,)  exposed  to  the  degrading  influ- 
ence of  its  waves,  and  bored  by  Mollusca  and  other 
marine  animals,  as  represented  in  the  diagram. 

Examine  this  Plate  II;  it  speaks  for  itself.  The 
Eocene  Marl  is  here  represented  as  we  have  found  it, 
with  its  surface  washed  into  deep  cavities  and  holes, 
bored  by  the  animals  just  named  and  honey-combed 
to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  feet.  This  is  its  condition 
off  Charleston  harbor  at  the  present  time ;  and  wher- 
ever the  surface  of  the  bed  inland  has  been  uncovered, 
it  is  found  irregular  and  broken,  and  the  Phosphate- 
rocks  show  this  plainly.  From  the  coarsely  honey- 
combed surface  of  this  mother-bed,  fragments  were 
being  continually  broken  off  by  the  waves,  rolled  over 
the  sand-beds,  which  wore  off  their  angular  edges, 
and  finally  deposited  them  in  extensive  masses  in 


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And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  29 

the  great  hollows  or  basins  below  the  Ocean-level,  as 
represented  in  Plate  II. 

We  apprehend  it  did  not  require  a  very  long  time, 
nor  much  friction  to  reduce  these  comparatively  soft 
lumps  of  Marl  rock  to  the  rounded  or  nodular  forms 
they  now  have.  Every  gale  drove  them  further  and 
further  upon  the  submarine  beach,  until  at  last,  they 
were  deposited  in  the  lagoons  or  basins  formed  within 
the  sand-reach  of  the  coast  as  represented  in  Plate  II. 

Professor  Ansted,  describing  the  Phosphate  beds 
near  Cambridge,  England,  writes — and  we  quote  him 
in  corroboration  of  our  own  views  on  this  subject : 
"  Many  years  ago  a  discovery  of  Phosphate  of  Lime 
was  made  in  the  so-called  Crag  beds  of  Suffolk,  and 
afterwards  in  the  Green-sands  of  many  parts  of  the 
southeast  of  England."  (This  corresponds  with  the 
Eocene  or  Green-sand  of  South  Carolina.)  "  The 
former  contain  beds  consisting  of  nodules  of  exceed- 
ingly hard  material,  which,  when  ground,  are  soluble 
in  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  form  a  most  valuable 
manure.  The  proportion  of  Phosphate  of  Lime  in 
these  nodules  varies  from  50  to  60  per  cent."  Now 
observe  the  analogy  between  the  English  and  the 
Carolina  Beds  as  regards  origin.  Professor  Ansted 
continues  :  "  The  Crag  nodules  are  found  in  the  newer 
TERTIARY  GRAVELS,  but  the  nodules  themselves  are 
believed  to  have  been  washed  out  of  older  rocks 
also  of  TERTIARY  AGE."  It  was,  undoubtedly,  so  with 
the  South  Carolina  Phosphate-rocks. 

The  next  great  change  was  the  upheaval  of  the 
whole  seaboard  country  by  some  geological  agency, 


30  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

and  the  elevation  of  the  coast  above  the  level  of  the 
Ocean.  When  the  sand  hills  and  the  submarine 
lagoons  were  raised,  the  basins  contained  sea  or 
salt  water,  and  must  have  been  so  many  small  salt 
lakes  along  the  sea-coast,  having  their  bottoms  cov- 
ered or  paved  with  a  thin  layer  of  the  nodular  frag- 
ments of  Marl  rock.  As  the  evaporation  of  the  salt 
water  progressed,  what  was  left  became  day  after  day 
a  stronger  brine,  until  at  last  a  deposit  of  salt  ulti- 
mately formed  as  a  crust  upon  the  pavement  of  Marl 
rocks.  And  here  we  must  remind  the  reader,  that 
these  nodular  fragments  of  Eocene  rocks  are  composed 
(like  the  mother  rock  from  which  they  had  been 
broken  off)  entirely  of  the  dead  shells  of  marine  ani- 
mals, which  age  after  age  were  deposited  at  the  bottom 
of  the  Ocean  or  Eocene  sea,  and  finally  became  an  im- 
mense bed  or  formation  of  Marl,  enclosing  through- 
out its  great  depth  not  only  the  Polythalamous  shells, 
corals  and  corallines,  but  the  teeth  and  bones  of 
sharks,  and  other  fish,  and  of  whale-like  and  alliga- 
tor-like animals ;  such  alone  as  live  in  the  sea;  but  no 
remains  of  any  land  animal  have  ever  yet  been  found  in 
it.  We  say  it  without  any  fear  of  contradiction,  and 
challenge  proof  of  a  single  specimen  being  obtained 
from,  or  imbedded  in  the  nodules,  (Phosphate-rocks,) 
or  from  the  Marl  bed  itself  the  mother  rock.  All  the 
remains  of  land  animals  obtained  in  such  vast  num- 
bers are  mingled  with,  and  not  imbedded  in,  the  nodules 
found  in  the  Phosphate  basins ;  and  this  mingling  of 
bones  and  teeth  occurred  in  the  POST-PLEIOCENE  AGE 
after  the  elevation  of  the  basins  above  the  ocean  level. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  3 1 

It  was  in  this  Post-Pleiocene  age,  the  period  when 
the  American  Elephant,  or  Mammoth,  the  Mastodon, 
Rhinoceros,  Megathereum,  Hadrosaurus,  and  other 
gigantic  quadrupeds  roamed  the  Carolina  forests,  and 
repaired  periodically  to  these  Salt-lakes  or  Lagoons, 
or  as  they  are  called  in  Kentucky,  "Salt-licks;"  and 
during  a  series  of  indefinite  ages,  engaged  as  they 
were  first  sipping  brine,  then  licking  salt,  and  deposit- 
ing their  fecal  remains,  and  ultimately  their  bones  and 
teeth,  in  fact  their  dead  bodies,  in  these  great  open 
"  crawls"  or  pens,  thus  preparing,  as  ordained  before- 
hand by  the  Great  Master-Builder  of  our  Earth,  a 
storehouse  of  rich  material  for  Man's  use.  They 
converted  the  rocks,  prepared  of  old  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  Ocean,  into  the  basis  of  a  most  wonderful 
fertilizing  substance,  a  substance  which  was  to  become 
by  the  labor  and  sweat  of  Man's  brow,  a  renovator  of 
his  worn-out  soils,  causing  it  to  yield  in  overflowing 
measures  bread  and  meat,  for  the  use  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  men ;  and  not  for  their  use  only,  but  to 
give  food  in  great  abundance  to  the  animals  who  are 
Man's  companions  in  the  present  age ;  to  the  Ant,  the 
Bee,  and  the  Butterfly,  animated  links  in  the  Chain  of 
Creation,  by  which  the  whole  fabric  itself  is  sustained. 
God  never  intended  that  it  should  be  thus  used  be- 
fore the  appointed  time,  ordained  of  old  by  Him  who 
formed  and  fashioned  these  rocks. 


32  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

HOW   THE    NODULES    WERE    CONVERTED 
INTO  PHOSPHATE-ROCKS. 

At  this  stage  of  the  history  of  the  origin  of  the 
Phosphate-rocks,  the  reader  naturally  expects,  and  it 
seems  to  us  also  the  proper  place  to  explain  the  man- 
ner in  which  these  masses  of  Lime  Rock  or  Carbon- 
ate of  Lime  have  been  changed  into  Phosphate-rocks, 
or  Phosphate  of  Lime,  and  to  give  all  the  evidence  in 
support  of  the  hypothesis  which  science  can  bring  to 
bear  on  the  subject. 

In  a  former  chapter,  p.  2 1 ,  we  have  endeavored  to 
show  that  the  outcrop  or  exposed  edges  of  the 
upturned  Santee  beds  which  are  seen  near  Aiken  in 
this  State,  were  originally  Marl  rocks,  rich  in  Carbon- 
ate of  Lime,  and  undoubtedly  belonged  to  those  beds, 
but  have  lost  their  Carbonate  of  Lime,  and  have  been 
changed  into  a  mass  of  flint  rock  or  "  Buhrstone." 

We  now  propose  to  explain  how  this  change 
occurred,  and  then  to  point  out  the  analogy  existing 
between  the  rocks  of  the  lowest  bed  of  the  Eocene 
Marl  changing  from  a  lime  rock  into  a  flint  rock,  having 
no  lime ;  and  the  rocks  of  the  youngest  beds  of  the 
same  Eocene  age  changing  into  a  Phosphate-rock,  and 
retaining  but  a  small  portion  of  Carbonate  of  Lime. 
How,  in  fact,  a  Marl  or  Lime  rock  may  be  converted 
into  flint,  under  certain  chemical  influences,  and  into 
Phosphate-rock  under  other  influences  of  a  very  dif- 
ferent nature. 

The  Santee  Marl,  where  it  outcrops  near  Aiken 
and  along  the  strike  of  the  bed  in  Orangeburg  and 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  33 

Lexington,  is  only  exposed  when  the  overlying  or 
superimposed  sands  are  removed  by  the  winds,  rains, 
or  other  denuding  geological  agents;  and  whenever 
thus  exposed  they  are  found  to  be  "  BUHRSTONE  "  or 
"  MILLSTONE-ROCK,"  or  beds  of  "  SILICIOUS  SHELLS." 
The  Marl  beds  are  sometimes  interstratified  with  clay, 
and  then  the  shells  only  are  silicified,  and  the  clay 
retains  all  its  normal  characteristics. 

When  the  shells  are  imbedded  in  a  mass  of  shelly 
matter,  like  that  of  the  Santee  Marls,  and  have  been 
covered  by  beds  of  sand,  and  been  subjected  to 
the  chemical  influence  of  these  sands,  the  whole  mass 
is  converted  into  a  "  Buhrstone,"  having  not  a  par- 
ticle of  its  original  lime  remaining.  But  the  reader 
will  ask,  How  is  this  accomplished  ;  give  us  the  pro- 
cess in  detail  ?  Well,  we  will  try  and  explain  it. 

The  silica  is  obtained  from  the  sand  beds  above. 
"  Hot  water  will  dissolve  silica  largely,  with  the 
help  of  an  alkali,"  (remarks  Professor  Tuomey,)  "and 
as  these  beds  overlap  the  igneous  rocks,  it  is  not  a 
wild  supposition  that  the  waters  of  the  Tertiary  sea 
may  have  been  at  one  time  heated,  and  thus  facilitated 
the  solution  of  the  silica." 

Besides,  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  before  the 
upheaval  of  the  coast  beds,  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic, 
(the  warm  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream,)  passed  over 
the  Eocene  beds.  Thus  we  see  how  the  silica  was 
furnished  from  the  sand  hills.  "  But  the  removal  of 
the  lime,  of  which  the  shells  are  mainly  composed, 
must  first  take  place  before  the  silica  could  be  substi- 
tuted, and  this  also  is  easily  understood.  Nothing 
3 


34  Phosphate  Rocks  of  SoutJi  Carolina, 

more  is  necessary,  indeed,  than  the  percolation  of 
water  holding  in  solution  carbonic  acid." 

"  Water  thus  charged  would  leave  only  such  por- 
tions as  were  insoluble,  namely,  the  silicious  matter 
and  alumina,  precisely  what  is  left  in  the  beds  just 
mentioned." 

"  But  it  is  rather  more  difficult  to  account  for  the 
complete  replacement  of  substances  by  other  matter. 
When  wood  is  enclosed  in  beds  of  clay  it  is  generally 
converted  into  lignite,  but  when  found  imbedded  in 
sand,  the  wood  is  replaced  by  silica  and  assumes  the 
form  and  character  of  silicified  wood."  In  like  man- 
ner shells  associated  with  sands  or  sandy  strata  in 
Tertiary  ages  invariably  become  silicified. 

"  To  those  who  have  not  examined  the  matter 
closely,"  continues  Professor  Tuomey,  (see  Geol.  of 
S.  C.,  p.  148,)  "  it  may  appear  that  the  lime  of  the 
shells  was,  first,  dissolved  out,  and  their  hollow  moulds 
filled  by  infiltration  of  silica  held  in  solution.  A  lit- 
tle reflection,  however,  would  satisfy  any  one  that  this 
is  not  the  process  ;  for  it  would  be  obviously  impossi- 
ble in  loose  sand  for  any  such  perfect  moulds  to  exist, 
for  the  moment  the  lime  was  removed,  the  sand  would 
pour  into  the  hollows  left.  Besides,  the  internal  cast 
.of  the  shell  would  fall  down,  there  being  nothing  to 
support  it,  and  the  mould  be  spoiled.  We  are  then 
obliged  to  suppose  that  the  process  went  on  slowly, 
and  that  the  lime  was  replaced  by  silica,  particle  by 
particle ;  that  is,  that  when  an  atom  of  lime  was 
removed,  one  of  silica  took  its  place,  and  this  was 
continued  until  all  the  lime  was  removed  and  its  place 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  35 

taken  by  the  silica ;  for  in  no  other  way  can  we 
account  for  the  preservation  of  the  most  minute  striae 
on  the  shells  together  with  every  spine,  process  or 
other  characteristic  mark." 

In  confirmation  of  the  above,  Professor  Tuomey 
found  in  Orangeburg  District  a  fossil  containing  fluid 
silica.  He  says :  "  At  first  it  resembled  thin  trans- 
parent jelly,  but  on  exposure  to  the  air  it  changed 
color,  becoming  milky,  and,  finally,  became  hard,  and 
presented  the  appearance  of  Pearl-stone."  Thus  we 
can  readily  understand  how  a  shell  composed  mostly 
of  lime,  will,  under  certain  conditions,  become  flint, 
retaining  its  form  and  prominent  characteristics. 


WHAT  ARE  FOSSILS  AND  PETRIFACTIONS. 

[From   the   Boston  Journal  of  Chemistry.] 

"  Every  one  who  has  read  even  an  elementary 
manual  of  geology  knows  that  the  remains  of  plants 
and  animals  are  found  in  the  crust  of  the  earth  more 
or  less  petrified,  or  converted  into  stony  matter. 
They  are  commonly  known  as  fossils,  a  term  which 
etymologically  means  nothing  more  than  dug-  up.  To 
the  men  of  old  time  and  even  to  the  earlier  geologists, 
their  occurrence  was  a  riddle  and  few  considered 
them  as  other  than  mere  accidents  or  hisus  natures  ; 
but  to  the  geologist  of  our  day  they  are  pictures  in 
the  great  stone-book  of  the  earth's  history,  illustrating 
the  life  that  peopled  the  lands  and  waters  in  pre- 


36  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Adamite  epochs,  and  indirectly  the  geographical 
conditions  under  which  they  flourished  and  became 
extinct. 

"  A  distinction  is  sometimes  made  between  fossils 
and  sub-fossils,  as  they  are  called.  The  latter  are 
usually  of  more  recent  origin,  and  are  only  partially 
altered  in  texture ;  the  former  as  a  rule,  date  back  to 
earlier  epochs  and  the  conversion  into  stone  is  com- 
plete. In  the  one  case,  the  more  volatile  substances 
have  been  driven  off  from  the  plant,  and  the  softer 
and  more  perishable  tissues  have  disappeared  from 
the  animal,  while  mineral  ingredients  have  been 
absorbed,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  place  of  the 
organic  matter  lost.  In  the  other  case  the  vegetable, 
if  not  converted  into  coal,  has  been  thoroughly 
changed  by  a  slow  process  into  stone,  merely  retain- 
ing its  original  organic  form  ;  and  animal  remains 
have  undergone  a  similar  metamorphosis,  and  are 
recognizable  only  through  their  forms  and  textures, 
which  are  unaltered. 

"  What  is  the  nature  of  this  marvellous  transforma- 
tion from  the  organic  to  the  inorganic  state  ?  It  is 
not  the  result  of  a  combination,  or  cJiemical  union  of 
earthy  matter  with  organic  matter,  but  rather  a  grad- 
ual replacement  of  the  latter  by  the  former.  Particle 
by  particle  the  organic  matter  disappears,  and  parti- 
cle by  particle  the  mineral  matter  takes  its  place  ; 
and  so  delicately  is  the  substitution  effected  that 
scarely  a  cell  or  a  fibre  is  ever  broken  or  displaced  ! 
The  nature  of  the  petrifaction  will  depend,  not  so 
much  upon  the  composition  of  the  plant  or  animal, 


And  tJic  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  37 

(though  this  will  have  its  bearing  on  the  result,)  as 
upon  that  of  the  mineral  solutions  which  percolate 
the  earth,  the  fossils  being  calcareous,  silicious,  ferru- 
ginous, and  the  like,  according  as  the  water  contains 
lime,  flint,  or  iron,  etc.  In  all  cases,  the  process  seems 
to  be  essentially  the  same ;  a  gradual  decay  and 
dissipation  of  the  organic  atoms,  and  a  gradual  sub- 
stitution, through  permeation,  of  the  mineral  or  inor- 
ganic. 

"  In  many  cases  the  fossil  itself  is  petrified  anew,  so 
to  speak  ;  that  is,  the  mineral  matter  which  was  at  first 
deposited,  is  gradually  dissolved  out,  and  a  new  sub- 
stance takes  its  place ;  or  no  new  matter  may  be  sub- 
stituted, and  merely  the  hollow  mould  be  left  to 
prove  that  the  organism  was  once  there.  Thus  a 
shell  or  a  coral  which  consist  of  organized  carbonate 
of  lime  may  be  converted  into  the  sparry  mineral 
carbonate  ;  and  this  may  be  dissolved  and  washed 
away,  leaving  a  hollow  mould  marked  with  every 
ridge  and  line  of  the  vanished  organism  ;  or  this 
mould  may  be  filled  up  again  with  silicious  matter, 
so  that  the  shell  or  coral  seems  to  have  been  trans- 
muted into  flint,  without  losing  the  most  delicate  line 
traced  on  its  original  surface.  The  perfection  with 
which  the  finest  lineaments  are  thus  preserved,  after 
every  particle  of  matter  in  the  fossil  has  been  twice 
changed,  is  almost  incredible. 

"  Of  course  all  plants  and  animals  are  not  preserved 
alike,  nor  are  the  same  organisms  always  found  in  the 
same  state  of  preservation.  Those  that  have  partially 
decayed  in  the  air  before  being  imbedded  in  the  earth 


447175 


38  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

will  be  less  perfect  than  those  that  were  buried  by 
some  sudden  convulsion  before  decay  begun.  The 
harder  parts  of  plants,  as  roots,  stems,  and  nuts,  are 
more  likely  to  be  preserved  than  the  soft  and  succu- 
lent portions. 

"The  shells,  bones,  teeth  and  scales  of  animals  will 
be  found  when  all  the  fleshy  parts  have  perished  ;  and 
the  larger  and  harder  bones  of  a  skeleton  may  be  the 
only  ones  that  escape  destruction." 

Something  quite  analogous  to  the  change  of  the 
outcrop  of  the  Santee  Beds  has  taken  place  with  the 
exposed  portions  of  the  Ashley  Marls,  which  have 
been  torn  from  their  mother-bed,  and  redeposited  as 
explained,  page  27,  and  exemplified  in  Plate  II. 

The  important  agents  in  the  latter  case  being  not 
only  water-holding  Carbonic  Acid  in  solution,  whereby 
the  lime  was  dissolved  particle  by  particle,  but  the 
fecal  matter  from  the  animals  named,  would  furnish 
the  Phosphoric  Acid  to  supply  that  portion  of  the  lime 
dissolved  out  of  the  mass,  and  thus  convert  these 
nodules  into  a  Phosphate-rock. 

Additional  evidence  may  be  afforded  by  the  fact, 
that  the  bones  of  land  animals,  as  found  intermingled 
with  the  nodules  or  Phosphate-rocks,  when  recently 
taken  from  the  living  animal,  contain  about  51  or  52 
per  cent,  of  Phosphate  of  Lime,  but  when  associated 
as  they  must  have  been  for  centuries  with  the  mate- 
rials of  the  Phosphate-rock  Basins,  they  necessarily 
imbibed  an  additional  amount  of  this  essence,  and  now 
yield  upon  analysis  ninety-two  per  cent,  of  Phosphate 
of  Lime  !  And  where  did  this  additional  amount  of 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  39 

Phosphate  of  Lime  come  from  ?  It  follows,  there- 
fore, that  if  these  bones  had  contributed  to  furnish  the 
Phosphoric  Acid  to  the  rocks,  (as  some  suppose,) 
they  would  have  been  deprived  of  all  they  possessed  ; 
and,  therefore,  it  seems  very  plain,  that  from  the  fecal 
matter  (dung  and  urine)  deposited  by  land  quadrupeds 
during  a  series  of  ages,  dissolved  by  rain,  and  its 
juices  carried  down  to  be  imbibed  by  the  Marl  nod- 
ules, atom  after  atom  as  the  Carbonate  of  Lime  was 
dissolved  out  of  the  rock,  has  been  derived  the  chemi- 
cal agent  which  converted  the  Eocene  Marl  nodules 
into  Phosphate-rocks.  To  the  bones  which  are  buried 
with  them  was  imparted  also  the  additional  amount 
of  Phosphoric  Acid  they  are  now  found  to  contain,  in 
excess  of  that  they  possessed  when  in  a  recent  or 
living  state,  and  not  as  has  been  suggested,  from  the 
excrement  of  birds. 

This  theory  regarding  the  conversion  of  the  Car- 
bonate of  Lime  rocks  into  Phosphate  of  Lime,  was 
submitted  by  us  in  October,  1867,  (just  after  reading 
Ansted's  Lectures  on  Practical  Geology,  alluded  to 
in  this  work  as  having  been  received  from  England 
the  day  of  the  discovery  of  the  great  value  of  the 
Phosphate-rocks,)  to  Professor  Joseph  Leidy,  Professor 
Samuel  H.  Dickson,  and  several  other  scientific  gen- 
tlemen of  Philadelphia,  and  obtained  their  ready  con- 
currence.* Sometime  in  the  beginning  of  1869,  or 
late  in  1868,  Dr.  F.  Peyre  Porcher,  of  Charleston,  the 
distinguished  author  of  "  Resources  of  our  Fields  and 

*  George  T.  Lewis,  Esq.,  Frederick  Klett,1]  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Williams, 
Chemist. 


4O  PhospJiatc  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Forests,"  suggested  to  us  the  same  thing,  viz:  the  im- 
bibition of  the  juices  from  fecal  matter,  deposited  by 
land  quadrupeds,  above  the  nodular  rocks. 

Bird  guanos  invariably  contain  bird-bones  and  small 
fish-bones ;  and  frequently  entire  skeletons  of  birds 
partly  fossilized,  are  found  in  Peruvian  Guanos.  The 
Sombrero,  and  other  West  Indian  and  Caribbean 
varieties,  are  undoubtedly  accumulations  of  the  excre- 
ment of  birds. 

No  bones  of  birds  have  been  discovered  in  the 
Phosphate-rock  Basins,  and  but  two  or  three  unchar- 
acteristic fragments,  supposed  to  belong  to  birds,  have 
been  found  in  the  clay  beds  of  this  age ;  we  feel  war- 
ranted therefore  in  asserting  that  this  is  not  the  result 
of  bird  excrements. 

The  English  beds  of  Phosphate-rocks,  lately  discov- 
ered, resembled  in  almost  every  particular  those  of 
the  Ashley  Basin. 

Professor  Ansted  describes  them  as  "  containing 
numerous  fossil  remains  of  animals,"  and  they  cor- 
respond in  a  remarkable  degree  in  geological  posi- 
tion, being  "  all  along  the  outcrop  of  the  Green-sand 
beds  on  the  south  coast  of  England,"  the  Carolina 
Phosphate-rocks,  are  also  "  all  along"  the  outcrop 
of  the  Eocene  Marl,  the  Green-sand  bearing  bed 
of  South  Carolina. 

The  amount  of  Phosphate  of  Lime  and  Carbonate 
of  Lime  is  much  the  same  in  both,  that  is  from  55  to 
60  per  cent,  of  the  former,  and  5  to  10  per  cent,  of  the 
latter.  The  nodules  are  about  the  same  size  and  form, 
both  in  the  English  and  American  beds  ;  both  are 
deposited  in  basins  and  the  strata  are  not  continuous. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  41 

THE  FISH-BED  OF  THE  ASHLEY. 

The  idea  prevails  that  the  "  Fish-bed  "  of  the  Ash- 
ley Basin  alluded  to  in  Professor  Tuomey's  Geological 
Report,  is  the  Phosphate-rock  stratum  with  its  asso- 
ciated teeth  and  bones.  This  is  an  error  into  which 
many  have  been  led.  In  Professor  Tuomey's  Report, 
p.  165,  he  writes:  "The  most  remarkable  feature  in 
the  Fauna  of  the  period  of  the  deposition  of  these 
beds  was  the  vast  number  of  cartilaginous  fishes.  It 
would  seem  as  if  about  the  close  of  the  Eocene  period 
these  voracious  monsters,  conscious  of  their  approach- 
ing end,  had  congregated  here  to  die,  and  it  is  no 
exaggeration  to  say  that  more  than  a  bushel  of  fishes' 
teeth  have  been  collected  at  Ashley  Ferry  within  the 
last  few  years.  I  have  visited  the  locality  several 
times  and  never  without  finding  a  large  number  of 
specimens.  As  the  Marl  is  washed  away  by  the  river 
and  tides,  the  fossils  are  left  exposed  at  low  water, 
and  in  this  way  the  locality  appears  almost  inexhaus- 
tible and  well  deserves  the  name  of  the  "  Fish-bed  of 
the  Charleston  Basin." 

The  surface  or  upper  Marl  beds  are  here  alluded  to, 
that  is  to  say  the  Ashley- Marl  and  Sands,  and  not  the 
overlying  Phosphate-rock  bed. 

The  "  Fish-bed  "  of  the  Ashley  had  been  thus 
named  by  us  before  Mr.  Tuomey  had  visited  South 
Carolina.  In  the  above  he  only  expresses  his 
approval  of  the  name  given  it. 

At  that  time  Piofessor  Agassiz  had  not  been  on 
the  Ashley. 


42  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

A  CHAPTER  ON  THE  ASHLEY  MARLS. 

We  have  said  that  the  Ashley  Marl  and  Sands  com- 
pose the  Fish-bed  of  the  Charleston  Basin,  because 
from  them  the  varieties  of  Sharks'  teeth  were  obtained, 
that  are  now  taken  from  the  Phosphate  Beds.  The 
Marl  proper,  contains  but  a  small  percentage  of  Phos- 
phate of  Lime,  it  is  larger  near  the  surface  than  at 
greater  depths,  and  it  is  reasonable  therefore,  to  infer, 
that  the  juices  from  the  upper  beds  of  Phosphate-rocks, 
being  in  excess,  passed  through  the  intervening  sand 
and  clays,  percolated  the  soft  Marl  below,  and  was 
absorbed  by  its  upper  layers  ;  hence  we  find  such 
Marls  as  are  or  have  been  covered  by  Phosphate- 
rocks,  phosphatic  for  a  few  feet  below  the  surface,  whilst 
others  not  thus  covered  contain  only  a  small  amount 
of  this  substance,  and  which  was  derived  from  marine 
animals  imbedded  in  this  great  Eocene  formation, 
deposited  at  the  bottom  of  the  Ocean. 


And  tlic  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed." 


43 


COMPARISON  OF  MARLS,  HAVING  PHOS_ 
PHATE-ROCKS  OVERLYING  THEM  AND 
MARLS  THAT  ARE  WITHOUT  SUCH  COV- 
ERING. 


These  analyses  are  by  Professor  Shepard,  Senr. 
Nos.  I  and  2  are  overlaid  by  Phosphate-rock. 
Nos.  3  and  4  are  not  so  overlaid. 


CARBONATE 
OF 
LIME. 

PHOSPHATE 

or 

LIME. 

CARBONATE 
OF 
MAGNESIA. 

I    Ashley  Marl,  (Clement's)  
2       "          "       (Hanckel's) 

58.00 
44.40 

Per  cent. 

8.80 

7.00 

Per  cent, 
trace. 
9.58 

Total  

92.40 

15.80 

9.58 

3    Pon  Pon  Marl  

58.56 
63.50 

2.47 

2.00 

2.12 

7.00 

Marls  Nos.  I  and  2   (covered)  average 
"      Nos.  3  and  4  (uncovered)      " 

112.06 

4-47 

9.12 

46.20 

5603 

7-9° 
2.23 

4-79 
4.56 

It  follows  therefore,  as  indicated  by  the  above  table, 
that  Marls  associated  or  covered  by  Phosphate-rocks  as 
Nos.  I  and  2,  are  comparatively  rich  in  Phosphate  of 
Lime,  (say  7.90  per  cent.)  but  poor  in  carbonate  of 
Lime,  (46.20.)  Whereas  those  not  so  associated  or 
covered,  as  Nos.  3  and  4,  are  poor  in  Phosphate  of 
Lime  (2.23,)  but  rich  in  Carbonate  of  Lime  (56.03.) 
The  Carbonate  of  Magnesia  being  nearly  the  same  in 
both. 


44 


Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 


COMPARISON  OF  THE  MARLS  OF  THE  SAN- 
TEE,  COOPER,  AND  ASHLEY  RIVERS,  AND 
OF  THE  SANTEE  GREEN-SAND  MARL. 


As  is  seen  by  the  following  table,  the  Santee  and 
Cooper  Marls  contain  a  larger  percentage  of  Car- 
bonate of  Lime,  (except  when  containing  Green-sand,) 
than  the  phosphatic  Marls  of  the  Ashley  Beds,  they 
are  therefore  much  better  for  lime  burning  than  the 
latter.  These  analyses  are  taken  from  Ruffin's  Re- 
port : 


Per  cent 

Percent 

Santee  M 

arl,H.W.  Ravenel, 

95 

Ashley  Marl,   Brisbane, 

64 

« 

P.  Porter, 

86 

"          O'Neale's, 

76 

« 

Fred'k  Porcher, 

92 

"          Drayton  Hall. 

63 

« 

Wm.  Cain, 

87 

"          Ashley  Ferry, 

5° 

t 

Lenud's  Ferry, 

93 

"          Magnolia, 

75 

< 

Eutaw, 

94 

"          Greer's, 

5* 

« 

Vance's  Ferry, 

86 

'           Pringle's, 

75 

< 

Felder's, 

94 

'          Clement's, 

52 

Coope  R 

iver,  Steep  Bluff, 

80 

'          Marysville, 

62 

' 

Point  Comfort, 

79 

'          Ramsay, 

67 

« 

Dr.  Huger's, 

95 

'          Oak  Forest, 

36 

' 

Moss  Grove, 

80 

'          Indian  Fields, 

5° 

Average,   .... 

88.5-12 

Average,  .... 

60.2-12 

The  GREEN-SAND  MARLS  average  30  per  cent,  of 
Carbonate  of  Lime,  and  22  per  cent.  Green-sand. 

Marl  from  Charleston  Harbor,  near  Fort  Sumter, 
taken  forty-five  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  water, 
after  removing  all  the  barnacles  and  recent  shells  ad- 
hering, contained  81^  per  cent,  of  Carbonate  of 
Lime.  Under  the  City  of  Charleston,  at  the  depth 
of  274  feet  it  was  79  per  cent. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  45 

The  time  is  not  far  distant  when  the  Ashley  Marl 
will  be  extensively  quarried,  and  as  much  sought 
after  by  the  planter  and  farmer  as  the  Phosphates  are 
at  the  present  day.  It  will  be  used  preparatory  to  a 
top  dressing  of  Superphosphates. 


ON  THE  USE  OF   RAW  OR  GROUND  PHOS- 
PHATE-ROCK AS  A  FERTILIZER. 

Since  the  discovery  of  the  Phosphate-rock  Basins, 
a  number  of  companies  have  been  organized  for  Min- 
ing, Grinding,  and  Manufacturing  the  raw  material 
into  Fertilizers  or  Superphosphates,  by  subjecting  the 
finely  pulverized  rock  to  the  action  of  Sulphuric  Acid, 
thereby  rendering  it  more  soluble  in  water  and  more 
easily  assimilated  by  the  plant;  the  raw  material 
being  held  by  chemists  as  insohible  in  its  original  or 
present  state.  The  Superphosphates,  or  prepared 
rocks,  are  costly,  they  require  a  large  outlay  of  capi- 
tal in  machinery  and  buildings  for  their  manipulation, 
and  hence  other  companies  have  been  formed  with 
the  design  of  simply  grinding  the  rock  into  a  fine 
powder  and  placing  it  upon  the  market  in  that  condi- 
tion ;  leaving  it  to  the  agriculturist  to  select  as  he 
pleases  the  raw  or  the  cooked  (super)  Phosphates, 
knowing  that  the  raw  material  though  greatly 
cheaper  (?)  is  slow  in  its  effects,  but  will  gradually 
afford  a  supply  of  food  to  the  crops,  its  fertilizing  prop- 


46  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

erties  extending  through  several  years.  Whereas  the 
cooked  or  manipulated  rock,  (the  Superphosphate, 
fertilizer,)  is  nearly  exhausted  the  first  crop,  its  action 
is  immediate. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  an  application  of  the  raw- 
ground-phosphate,  to  the  poor  and  almost  worn  out 
lands  everywhere  to  be  met  with,  still  under  cultiva- 
tion, will  be  to  a  great  extent  beneficial,  as  none  of 
these  lands  contain  a  particle  of  lime  in  any  form,  and 
possibly  the  native  acid  in  the  soil  will  gradually  cook 
a  sufficient  quantity  annually  to  aid  and  support  the 
crop ;  or,  in  other  words,  gradually  convert,  in  Na- 
ture's laboratory,  the  raw  Phosphate  into  the  Super- 
phosphate  of  commerce. 

And  of  this,  our  Marl  experiments  in  1844  prove 
in  a  measure  the  reasonableness  of  the  inference. 
The  upper  layers  of  the  Marl  of  the  Ashley,  applied 
to  cotton  and  corn,  produced  greater  effects  than  Marl 
obtained  from  the  depth  often  or  twelve  feet  below ;  and 
we  can  only  account  for  this  difference  from  the  fact 
afterwards  ascertained,  (but  not  at  the  time  even  sus- 
pected,) that  the  upper  layers  contained  more  Phos- 
phate of  Lime  than  the  lower,  the  "drippings"  of  the 
Phosphate  Basins  above  having  been  imbibed  by  the 
top  layers  of  Marl  underlying  them.  Hence  as  it  was 
a  raw,  uncooked  Phosphate  of  Lime,  similar  (and,  as 
we  confidently  believe,  even  greater,)  results  must 
attend  the  application  of  the  ground  Phosphates, 
which  contain  from  fifty  to  sixty  per  cent,  of  Phos- 
phate of  Lime. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  47 

MINERAL  MANURES. 

"  There  is  one  department,"  remarks  Professor  Tuo- 
mey,  "  in  which  chemistry  has  fully  redeemed  its 
pledge  to  agriculture — the  analysis  of  the  products 
of  the  soil  and  manures.  Plants  analyze  soils  most 
accurately,  and  whatever  of  organic  matters  they 
contain  must  be  found  in  the  soil.  And  if  we  con- 
tinue to  abstract  these  matters,  by  repeated  cropping, 
and  without  making  any  return,  sterility  must  be  the 
result. 

"  Knowing,  then,  the  composition  of  each  crop,  we 
know  what  is  removed  from  the  soil ;  and  knowing 
also  the  composition  of  the  manures  within  reach,  we 
know  what  to  apply.  This  is  absolute  knowledge, 
and  must  constitute  the  basis  of  every  enlightened 
system  of  agriculture. 

"  When  after  a  succession  of  crops,  and  consequent 
abstraction  of  a  large  amount  of  its  salts,  the  soil 
begins  to  exhibit  signs  of  exhaustion,  application  is 
made  to  the  chemist  to  determine  what  is  the  matter, 
or  to  find  out  if  some  little  ingredient  is  not  wanting 
that  may  be  supplied  without  any  trouble  or  expense. 
Supposing  that  this  wanting  ingredient  be  discovered, 
how  is  it  to  be  procured  ?  Lime  is  almost  the  only 
substance  that  we,  in  this  country,  can  afford  to  ap- 
ply in  an  isolated  state.  The  course  to  be  pursued  is 
obvious  :  We  must  study  the  composition  of  the 
failing  crop,  and  add  such  manures  as  we  know,  by 
their  composition,  to  contain  the  greatest  number  or 
quantity  of  the  elements  of  the  crop,  trusting  that 


48  Phosphate  Rocks  in  South  Carolina, 

although  not  absolutely  wanting,  the  others  will  not 
be  lost.  This,  and  the  development,  by  proper  means, 
of  such  substances  as  may  already  exist  in  the  soil, 
are  the  only  rational  remedies." 

We  are,  fortunately,  in  possession  of  a  vast  amount 
of  information  relating  to  the  chemical  composition 
of  cultivated  plants,  and  it  will  be  interesting  to  pre- 
sent here  the  analyses  of  some  of  those  that  con- 
stitute our  principal  crops. 

Analyses  of  the  various  Guanos,  Fertilizers,  Marls, 
Limes,  etc.,  etc.,  are  also  here  introduced  for  the 
benefit  of  the  agriculturist. 

Analysis   of  Santee   Cotton    Wool,    by   Prof.   Shepard, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Black   Oak  Agricultural 


Carbonate  of  Potassa,  (with  possible  traces 

of  Soda,)          .         »  .               .         ;  :    '..,(       44.19 
Phosphate  of  Lime,  (with  traces  of  Mag- 
nesia,)      •   .  25.44 

Carbonate  of  Lime,          .         .         .         .         .       8.87 
Carbonate  of  Magnesia,  ....       6.85 

Silica, 4.12 

Alumina,  (probably  accidental,)       .          .          .        1.40 
Sulphate  of  Potassa,        .         .         .        v'*  '  '.       2.70 
Chloride  of  Potassium,     "") 
Chloride  of  Magnesium, 
Sulphate  of  Lime, 

Phosphate  of  Potassa,  &43 

Oxide    of  Lime,    (in 
minute  traces,) 


100.00 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  49 

Cotton  Seed,  by  Professor  Shepard. 

Phosphate  of  Lime,  with  traces  of  Magnesia,      61.64 
Phosphate  of  Potassa,  with  traces  of  Soda,     .     31.51 
Sulphate  of  Potassa,        .         .         .         .         .2.55 

Silica,       ........       1.74 

Carbonate  of  Lime,          .         .         .         .         .         .41 

Carbonate  of  Magnesia,  ....         .26 

Chloride  of  Potassium,    .....         .25 

Carbonate  of  Potassa, 

Sulphate  of  Lime, 

Sulphate  of  Magnesia,  J>and  loss, 

Alumina  and  Oxides  of  Iron  and 

Manganese,  in  traces,  j  100.00 


Cotton  Stalk,  by  Professor  J.  Lawrence  Smith,  in  1,000 
parts,  (leaves,  empty  pods  and  stalk.} 

Lime,         ........     303. 

Potash,      .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .     243. 

Phosphoric  Acid,       .         .         .         .         .         .91. 

Magnesia,          .         .         .         .         .         .         .58. 

Oxide  of  Iron, 4. 

Sulphuric  Acid,         .         ,         .         .  13. 

Chlorine,  ........         8. 

Carbonic  Acid,  ......     270. 

Sand,         .  5. 


50  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Sea  Island   Cotton,  by  Dr.    Urc. 

Carbonate  of  Potash,            .  .         .     '    .  .  44.8 

Muriate  of  Potash,      .         •„  •      .....  .     9.9 

Sulphate  of  Potash,    .         .  .         .         .  -9-3 

Phosphate  of  Lime,    .         .  .         .         .  .     9.0 

Carbonate  of  Lime,    ......   10.6 

Phosphate  of  Magnesia,      .  .         .         .  .     8.4 

Peroxide  of  Iron,         .         .  .         .         .  .     3.0 

Alumina,  a  trace,  and  loss,  .         .         .  .5.0 

i  oo.o 

"  Although  there  is  a  considerable  difference  in  the 
proportions  of  the  ingredients  present  in  the  two 
varieties  of  cotton,  as  exhibited  by  these  analyse**, 
they  both  show  the  presence  of  all  the  leading  and 
important  salts."  (Tuomey.) 

Indian  Corn,  by  Prof.  Shepard.     100  parts  of  the  grain 
left  nearly  1  per  cent  of  ash,  composed  of — 

Silica, 38.45 

Potassa,  (with  traces  of  Soda,)         .         .         .     19.51 
Phosphate  of  Lime,         .        ;.         .          .          .17.17 

Phosphate  of  Magnesia,  . "  '"•;'         .         .     13.83 

Phosphate  of  Potassa,     .         .         .         .'        .       2.24 

Carbonate  of  Lime,          .....       2.50 

Carbonate  of  Magnesia,  .         .         .         .2.16 

Sulphate  of  Lime,  .         .         .         .         .         .         .79 

Silica  mechanically  present,    .         .         .         .1.70 

Alumina,        .         .         .         .         .         .         .    traces 

Loss,      .         ..'.      ...      .         ...      ..  .    '     .       1-65 

IA 

IOO.OO 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  5 1 

ANALYSIS   OF   PHOSPHATE-ROCKS. 

From  Marysville  Works,  Ashley  River,  Charleston  Min- 
ing and  Manufacturing  Companies  Mines,  cargo  ex 
"  Bailey,  by  G.  A.  Liebig." 

BALTIMORE,  September  24th,  1870. 

Moisture  determined  at  100°  C,  .         .         6.225 

Phosphoric  Acid, 28.874 

Which  is  equal  to  63.034  Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime. 

Rendered  perfectly  kiln  dry,  it  will  contain  of  Calc. 

Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime  67.219. 


From  Sardy's  Mines,  Frascr's  Plantation  Ashepoo  ;  by 
Professor  Shepard,  Jr.     Analysis  No.   6  combining 
the  Acids  with  Lime — 

Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime,     .         '  .         65.14 

Carbonate  of  Lime.     .....         12.50 

Sulphate  of  Lime,        .         .         .  '  .  5.59 


Rocks  from  the  Oak  Point  Mines,  analyzed  by  Professor 

Shepard,  yielded — 

Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime,    ....         58.66 
Carbonate  of  Lime,      .....  6.90 


Analyses  of  GUANOS,  Pacific  and  Peruvian. 
NOTE. — These   analyses    show   that   the    Peruvian 
Guano  contains  23.48-100  per  cent,  and  the  Pacific 
contains  83  per  cent,  of  Phosphate  of  Lime. 


52  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Analysis  of  Peruvian  Guano,  by  Dr.  Thos.  Anderson, 
Chemist  to  the  Highland  Agricultural  Society  of  Scot- 
land. 

Water, 13.73 

Organic  Matter  and  Ammoniacal  Salts,        .  53. 16 

Phosphates,          .         .         ..       .         .         .  23.48 

Lime.     .       .         .  .         ... 

Sulphuric  Acid,  ..... 

Alkaline  Salts,     .         .         ......        .         .  7-97 

Sand,     .       .         .         .         ...         .  1.66 


100.00 


Analysis  of  Baker's  Island  (Pacific)  Guano,  by  L.  D. 
Gale,  M.  D.,  Chemical  Examiner  of  Patents  in  the 
United  States  Patent  Office,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Organic  Compounds,  yielding  Ammonia,  &c.,  9.940 

Combined  Water,         .      ••-.;     ;  .         .         .  2.500 
Carbonic  Acid  from  Organic  Compounds  of 

Lime,        .         .         .'         .         .   '     ".-"'      .'  600 
Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime,  and  Bone  Phos- 
phate of  Magnesia,  containing  Phosphoric 

Acid  38.67, 83.266 

Sulphate  of  Soda, 1.263 

Common  Salt,      '.....  1,615 

Loss,     .                .         .         .         .                  .  816 


100.000 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  53 

NAVASSA   GUANO. 

Contains  about  49  per  cent.  Phosphate  of  Lime, 
and  12  per  cent.  Phosphate  of  Alumina  and  Iron. 
Analysis  of  Swan's  Island  Guano — Cargo  of  "  G.   T. 
Ward:" 

BALTIMORE,  June   u,   1866. 
Water  and  Organic  Matter,          .         .         .         20.81 

Phosphoric  Acid, 28.34 

Lime, 23.88 

Sand  and  Insoluble  Matter,  .         .         .          15.00 

Indifferent  Matter 11.97 

The  Phosphoric  Acid  present  is  equal  to  61.87  °f 
bone  Phosphate  of  Lime. 

(Signed)  G.  A.  LIEBIG. 


Composition  of  Recent  Oyster  S/iells,  (Kane.) 
Animal  Membrane,          .....         0.5 
Carbonate  of  Lime,         .....       98.5 
Phosphate  of  Lime,         .         :         .         .         .          i.o 

100.00 

Ashley  Marls,  (Clement's,)  Professor  Shepard. 

Silica,      . 28.00 

Carbonate  of  Lime,  (with  traces  of  Magnesia,)  58.00 
Phosphate  of  Lime  (with  traces  of  per  oxide 

of  iron,)       .......  8.80 

Alumina,          .......  0.80 

Water,     ........  4.00 

Loss,       ........  .40 

loo.ocr 


54  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Ashepoo  Marl — Professor  Shepard. 

Silica, 3441 

Carbonate  of  Lime,         .         .         .         .         .  58.56 

Carbonate  of  Magnesia,  .         .         •         .         .2.12 
Phosphate  of  Magnesia,    (with   traces  of  per 

oxide  of  iron,)     .         .         .         .         .         .  2.47 

Alumina,          .         .         .         .         .         .         .  0.40 

Water, ..  •      ,  4.00 


101.96 

Analysis  of  Clean  Crushed  Bone. 

Water, 10.40 

Nitrogenized  Organic  Matter,          . .       . ,       .  30.98 

Alkaline  Salts,         .         .         .       \.         .         .  i.io 

Phosphates,     .         .         ..'       .         ....       .  .  49.32 

Carbonate  of  Lime,         .         .        ...         .  6.52 

Silica,      .         .         .....        Y        .  1.68 


100.00 

Analysis  of  ordinary  bones,  with  such  admixture  of 
dirt  as  will  frequently  be  found  where  they  have  been 
gathered  in  small  lots  after  being  exposed  to  contact 
with  the  ground — a  fair  average  after  grinding  : 
Moisture,         .......     10.50 

Organic  Matter  Nitrogenized,          .         .         .30.14 

Alkaline  Salts, 1.96 

Phosphates,     .         .         .         .         .         .         .     40.28 

Carbonate  of  Lime,         .         ...        ;         .       5.32 

Sand,      .         .         .         .         >  •      .        '.         .     11.80 

100.00 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  55 

Quantities  of  the  Several  Fertilizers  to  be  Applied  per 
Acre. 

About  three  hundred  pounds  of  Peruvian  Guano 
per  acre  is  the  average  used  for  market  gardening, 
and  general  crops. 

Of  Peruvian  Guano,  and  the  best  manufactured 
Superphosphates,  the  average  application,  when  no 
other  manure  is  used,  is  about  four  hundred  pounds — 
varying  with  the  crop  and  character  of  the  soil  which 
is  to  receive  it.  We  give  here  the  directions  for  ap- 
plying Concentrated  Fertilizers,  which  will  serve  as  a 
general  guide  for  the  others  : 

For  wheat  or  rye  in  drills,  300  pounds  per  acre ; 
broadcast,  400  to  450  pounds. 

For  cotton,  in  drills,  300  pounds ;  broadcast,  400. 

For  oats,  broadcast,  350  pounds  ;  drills,  250. 

For  corn,  400  pounds. 

For  tobacco,  350  to  400  pounds. 

For  potatoes,  400  to  450  pounds. 


56  PJiosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

WHEN  AND   HOW  THE  ROCK  WAS   FIRST 
FOUND. 


Sometime  in  November,  1837,  m  an  °ld  rice 
about  a  mile  from  the  west  bank  of  the  Ashley  in  St. 
Andrew's  Parish,  we  found  a  number  of  rolled  or 
water-worn  nodules,  of  a  rocky  material  filled  with 
the  impressions  or  casts  of  marine  shells.  These 
nodules  or  "  rocks  "  were  scattered  over  the  surface 
of  the  land,  and  in  some  places  had  been  gathered 
into  heaps,  so  that  they  could  not  materially  interfere 
with  the  cultivation  of  the  field. 

At  that  time  we  were  students  of  Geology  and 
Palaeontology,  and  the  interesting  and  beautifully  pre- 
served forms  of  shells,  teeth  and  bones  mingled  with 
the  rocks  filled  with  the  casts  of  shells,  corals  and 
corallines,  attracted  our  attention,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  enriched  our  cabinet  with  thousands  of  remark- 
able specimens.  These,  during  a  term  of  six  years, 
we  studied  carefully  and  labelled  as  best  we  could. 
The  appointment  of  Mr.  Ruffin,  in  1842,10  make  a 
survey  (geological  and  agricultural)  of  the  State, 
as  ordered  by  the  Legislature  was  generally  under- 
stood to  be  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  the 
use  of  Marl  and  Lime  as  fertilizers  ;  Marl  having 
been  successfully  and  extensively  used  by  the  farmers 
of  Virginia,  and  the  results  obtained  having  been 
found  to  surpass  their  most  favorable  anticipations. 

Mr.  Ruffin  immediately  called  the  attention  of  the 
planters  to  the  importance  of  searching  diligently 
everywhere  for  Marl-beds  and  other  sources  from 
whence  calcareous  earths  or  lime  could  be  obtained. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  57 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  among  us,  we  had  the 
satisfaction  of  pointing  out  the  exposures  of  Marl  on 
the  Ashley,  and  of  submitting  for  his  examination 
specimens  of  the  nodular  rocks  scattered  over  the 
fields  just  alluded  to.  As  these  rocks  contained  little 
Carbonate  of  Lime,  (the  material,  of  all  others,  then 
most  eagerly  sought  after,)  the  nodules  were  thrown 
aside  and  considered  useless  as  a  fertilizing  substance. 

Mr.  Ruffin  also  intimated,  that  as  the  "  GREAT 
CAROLINIAN  MARL  BED  "  was  extensively  exposed  on 
the  river  banks  near  by,  was  easy  of  access  and  readily 
dug  with  ordinary  implements,  he  thought  it  well 
worth  transporting  in  carts  and  wagons,  four  or  five 
miles ;  especially  as  it  was  so  much  richer  in  Carbon- 
ate of  Lime  than  the  Marls  of  Virginia,  which  were 
often  carted  to  a  greater  distance ;  the  former  having 
from  50  to  80  per  cent.,  the  latter  only  averaging 
about  40  per  cent. 

At  that  time,  Marl  and  everything  resembling  Marl, 
was  carefully  scrutinized  and  analyzed  by  Professors 
Shepard,  J.  Lawrence  Smith  and  Wm.  Hume,  and 
some  of  the  results  published. 


58  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

DISCOVERY  OF  THE  ROCKS  IN  SITU,  AND 
OF  THE  MARL  BENEATH  IT. 

From  a  prize  report,  made  to  the  State  Agricultural 
Society  of  South  Carolina,  November,  1844,  of  suc- 
cessful experiments  in  Marling  cotton  and  corn  lands, 
and  for  which  their  premium  was  awarded,  we 
extract  the  following,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  his- 
tory of  Phosphate-rocks : 

"  In  a  low  part  of  an  old  field,  (December  pth, 
1843,)  we  attempted  to  bore  with  an  auger  below  the 
surface  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  the  earth  beneath, 
and  with  the  hope  of  finding  Marl.  We  did  not  pene- 
trate two  feet  before  the  auger  was  thrown  aside  and 
the  spade  and  pick  resorted  to.  On  removing  the 
soil  above  the  rocks,  they  were  -seen  in  a  regular 
stratum  about  one  foot  thick  imbedded  in  clay,  and 
seemed  to  be  identically  the  same  as  those  found 
scattered  on  the  surface  of  an  adjoining  field ;  all  of 
them  bearing  the  impressions  of  shells,  and  having 
similar  cavities  and  holes  filled  with  clay.  Continuing 
our  excavation,  the  yellow  Marl  was  reached  at  about 
five  feet  from  the  surface.  As  the  water  sprung 
rapidly  we  had  to  abandon  the  work,  but  with  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the  Marl  underlaid  the 
stratum  of  rock  and  was  to  be  had  on  our  own  farm, 
and  in  the  midst  of  our  cultivated  fields,  thereby 
enabling  us  to  save  carting  one  mile  from  the  river 
bank. 

"  On  the  22d  of  February  following,  (1844,)  another 
attempt  was  made  to  find  the  Marl,  and  it  was  dis- 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  59 

covered  near  an  old  causeway  on  the  edge  of  the 
high  land  under  the  marsh.  The  following  is  a  tabu- 
lar arrangement  of  the  strata  taken  from  above  the 
Marl  which  lies  four  feet  six  inches  below  the  surface 
of  the  marsh  mud : 

FEET.       INCHES. 

1st.  Marsh  Mud,  filled  with  roots,  .  .  I  o 

2d.  White  Sand  and  a  few  pebbles,  .  .  o  3 

3d.  Marl  Rocks,  (Phosphate-rocks,)  .  I  3 

4th.  Dark  sand,  lumps  of  blue  clay 

and  pebbles, I  o 

5th.  Blue  and  Gray  Sand,  with  a 

quantity     of    finely     divided 

shelly  matter,  (Post-Pleiocene 

shells,)  with  casts  in  soft  Marl 

and  fish  bones  and  teeth,    .     .     .   i  o 


Total, 


6th.  Yellowish  Marl  containing  61 
per  cent,  of  Carbonate  of 
Lime, 2  o 

"  At  this  depth  the  color  changes  with  a  green  tint, 
and  the  Marl  increases  in  strength  to  7 1  per  cent,  of 
Carbonate  of  Lime,  and  continues  thus  seven  feet 
deeper.  The  surface  of  the  Marl  Bed  was  found  to 
be  very  much  broken  and  irregular,  having  deep  holes 
in  it  filled  with  blue  mud  and  sand.  Arrangements 
were  immediately  made  to  dig  and  marl  lands  exten- 
sively for  the  next  crop,  and  a  pit  opened  twenty  feet 
wide  and  forty  feet  long." 


6o  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

DISCOVERY  OF  STONE  ARROW  HEADS 
AND  A  STONE  HATCHET  IN  BEDS  OF 
POST-PLEIOCENE  AGE. 

It  was  on  the  23d  or  24th  day  of  February,  1844, 
whilst  engaged  in  the  removal  of  the  upper  beds 
covering  the  Marl,  and  preparing  for  opening  the 
large  pit  just  alluded  to,  the  laborers  discovered 
among  the  rocks  several  stone  arrow  heads  and  one 
stone  hatchet;*  they  were  found  directly  under  the 
roots  of  a  large  oak,  which  was  cut  down  and  its 
roots  removed  to  make  way  for  our  marling  opera- 
tions. The  tree  stood  just  within  the  margin  of  the 
high  land  skirting  the  marsh ;  the  pit  as  laid  out, 
encroached  upon  the  high  land  side  about  ten  feet, 
and  the  depth  of  soil  was  about  three  feet  above  the 
rocky  stratum. 

The  late  Dr.  Thomas  L.  Burden,  an  accomplished 
gentleman  and  scholar,  and  a  true  lover  of  nature,  more 
especially  of  the  departments  of  Botany  and  Palaeon- 
tology, accompanied  us  almost  daily  collecting  fossils 
in  the  neighborhood.  ^We  had  during  our  explorations 
discovered  upon  one  or  two  occasions  a  few  arrow 
heads  and  spear  heads,  (for  such  we  took  them  to  be,) 
in  "  out  of  the  way  "  places,  and  differing  so  greatly 
in  their  general  characteristics  from  those  found 
commonly  scattered  all  over  this  Continent,  that  we 
examined  and  studied  them  again  and  again  with 
deep  interest,  and  were  continually  comparing  them 

""  These  Specimens  are  still  in  our  Cabinet. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  61 

with  the  well  known  similar  forms  obtained  from  the 
Indian  mounds  of  America,  and  attributed  to  the 
handiwork  of  its  aborigines.  But  when  found  under 
the  oak  at  the  Marl  pit,  among  the  "  Marl  rocks"  as 
they  were  then  termed,  (and  very  properly  too,  for  they 
are  indeed  Marl  rocks  derived  from  the  mother-bed  of 
Eocene  Marl,)  every  precaution  was  immediately 
taken  to  satisfy  ourselves  fully  as  to  the  possibility  of 
their  being  of  the  same  age  as  the  "  mound,"  arrow 
heads  and  hatchets,  but  washed  into  a  "  gully"  in 
after  ages,  and  now  found  mixed  with  the  Marl  rocks; 
(Phosphate-rocks,)  and  therefore  accidental  occupants 
of  the  place. 

After  a  careful  study  of  everything  connected  with 
their  discovery,  the  place  and  stratum  in  which  they 
were  found,  and  their  remarkable  forms,  we  were  sat- 
isfied that  they  belonged  to  and  were  deposited  in  the 
same  geological  age  to  which  the  bones  and  teeth  of 
the  Mastodon,  Elephant,  Rhinoceros,  Horse,  and  other 
land  animals  belong,  and  which  are  found  associated 
with  them  in  the  same  matrix  or  mother-bed  of  clay, 
which  is  of  the  Post-Pleiocene  period,  and  which  we 
have  since  designated  as  the  PRE-HISTORIC  AGE  OF 
MAN. 

Alas,  for  young  students  and  their  beautiful  theo- 
ries !  Professor  Tuomey,  about  this  time,  visited  the 
locality,  examined  the  specimens  and  everything  con- 
nected with  their  discovery  and  exhumation,  together 
with  all  the  surrounding  strata,  and  advised  against 
their  publication,  as  it  was  possible  for  them  to  have 
fallen  into  a  hole  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  or  the  bur- 


62  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

rows  of  some  animal ;  and,  should  no  more  of  such 
relics  hereafter  be  found,  our  reputation  as  observers 
in  the  geological  field  would  be  affected.  It  was  good 
advice  and  we  took  it.  Though  we  certainly  "  were 
convinced  against  our  will." 

Night  after  night  we  studied  and  talked  over  these 
arrow  heads  and  this  stone  hatchet. 


HUMAN  BONES  DISCOVERED. 

Not  very  long  after  finding  the  above  named 
relics  of  human  workmanship,  and  while  engaged 
in  our  usual  visits  to  the  Ashley  Bed,  a  bone  was 
found  projecting  from  the  bluff,  immediately  in 
contact  with  the  surface  of  the  stony  stratum  (the 
Phosphate-rocks) ;  we  pulled  it  out,  and  behold  a 
human  bone  !  Without  hesitation  it  was  condemned 
as  an  "  accidental  occupant"  of  quarters  to  which  it 
had  no  right — geologically — and  so  we  threw  it  into 
the  river.  Alas  !  we  have  lived  to  regret  our  temerity 
and  rashness.  A  year  after,  a  lower  jaw  bone  with 
teeth  was  taken  from  the  same  bed,  and  we  now  have 
it  in  the  Cabinet.*  Subsequent  events  and  discoveries 
show,  conclusively,  that  the  first  discovered  human 
bone  was  "  in  place, "  and  that  the  beds  of  the  Post- 
Pleiocene,  not  only  on  the  Ashley,  but  in  France 

*  Professor  Kerr  and  Dr.  Pratt,  in  1867,  discovered  other  human  bones, 
(parts  of  a  femur  and  tibia,)  in  the  same  bed,  and  from  the  same  locality. 
These  are  also  in  our  Cabinet  in  Charleston. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  63 

Switzerland,  and  other  European  countries,  contain 
human  bones  associated  with  the  remains  of  extinct 
animals  and  relics  of  human  workmanship,  proving 
most  conclusively  that  the  Carolina  specimens  were 
found  "  in  place, "  and  as  the  European  discoveries 
were  made  in  1854  and  ours  in  1844,  to  South  Caro- 
lina should  be  awarded  the  honor  of  the  first  dis- 
covery, and  the  determination  of  the  Palaeontological 
age  of  the  Post-Pleiocene  Beds.  It  "  stamps  "  it,  as 
the  PRE-HISTORIC  AGE  OF  MAN,  the  connecting  link  be- 
tween the  Tertiary  and  the  Recent  age,  the  true 
Quarternary  period  in  its  geological  history. 


COPROLITES  (?)  IN  A  POCKET. 

Whilst  engaged  manufacturing  Saltpetre  at  Ashley 
Ferry,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  River,  during  the  late 
Confederate  War,  the  lime  or  calcareous  earth  neces- 
sary in  such  operations,  was  obtained  by  sinking  pits 
into  the  Eocene  Marl-bed. 

Upon  the  removal  of  four  or  five  feet  of  the  upper 
layers,  the  workmen  discovered  in  one  part  of  a  pit 
a  number  of  oddly  shaped  nodules,  resembling  some- 
what the  Marl  stones  (Phosphate-rocks)  found  in 
the  stratum  above  the  Marl,  but  more  cylindrical  in 
form  and  not  perforated,  and  having  their  exterior 
polished  as  though  each  individual  specimen  had 
received  a  coat  of  varnish ;  they  appeared  to  have 
been  deposited  in  a  large  cavern  or  "  pocket "  in  the 
Marl  bed. 


64  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

The  quantity  taken  from  this  pocket  was  estimated 
at  several  wagon  loads. 

We  supposed  them  to  be  Coprolites,  or  the  fossil- 
ized excrements  of  some  of  those  large  Aquatic  Mam- 
malia of  that  age,  whose  bones  are  found  in  great 
numbers  in  the  Marl,  and  also  mixed  with  the  Phos- 
phate-rocks in  the  basins.  The  Zeuglodons,  Squalo- 
dons  and  Phocodons,  swarmed  in  the  waters  of  that 
period,  and  they  had  as  associates  huge  Crocodiles  or 
Alligator-like  creatures,  which  roamed  the  submarine 
forests  like  an  army  of  Locusts  seeking  their  prey. 

The  amount  of  Phosphate  of  Lime  found  by  Dr. 
Pratt,  in  his  analysis  of  these  supposed  Coprolites,  is 
small  compared  with  that  of  the  Phosphate-rocks, 
being  only  15  per  cent.  But  it  is  not  surprising,  as 
the  Marl  must  have  extracted  a  large  portion  of  their 
phosphoric  essence. 

This  completes  the  history  of  the  Marls  and  the 
Phosphate-rocks  up  to  the  close  of  the  Confederate 
War  in  1865,  and  which  for  four  years  excluded 
all  Europe,  their  doings  and  their  publications,  from 
Confederate  eyes ;  and  it  was  not  until  1 867,  when 
we  had  recovered  sufficiently  from  the  effects  of  the 
war  to  import  a  few  books  from  England,  was  ascer- 
tained what  had  been  done  during  the  interval  by 
scientific  men  in  that  country. 

Early  in  the  month  of  August,  1867,  the  9th  or 
loth  day,  our  friend  Dr.  N.  A.  Pratt,  with  whom 
we  had  been  intimately  associated  during  the  war, 
brought  us  a  small  fragment  of  rock  and  enquired  if 
we  knew  it.  We  replied  yes ;  as  well  as  we  know 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  65 

our  children ;  we  have  been  familiar  with  it  since 
1839,  have  a  large  collection  of  specimens  at  the  Col- 
lege of  Charleston,  and  would  be  glad  to  submit  them 
to  him  for  examination.  To  this  the  Doctor  readily 
assented,  and  we  repaired  immediately  to  the  Col- 
lege. 

On  examination,  (there  were  fifty  or  sixty  speci- 
mens in  the  closet,)  he  said:  "I  think  you  are  mis- 
taken, these  are  not  the  sameB  kind  of  rock  as  that  in 
in  my  hand."  We  rejoined,  there  is  no  doubt  on  our 
mind  about  it,  but  feel  confident  they  are  the  same,  and 
suggested  that  a  quantity  should  be  ground  up  finely, 
so  as  to  obtain  a  fair  sample  for  analysis.  Dr.  Pratt 
took,  accordingly,  several  pounds,  enquiring  at  the 
same  time  as  to  its  chemical  composition;  we  replied: 
Professor  Tuomey  made  a  crude  analysis  of  it  some 
years  ago,  his  notes  of  the  result  were  burnt  with 
our  library  ;  but  we  well  remember  that  the  amount 
of  Phosphate  of  Lime,  16  per  cent,  was  considered 
too  small,  and  the  Carbonate  of  Lime,  Iron  and  Sand, 
too  great  to  admit  of  its  being  used  advantageously 
for  Agricultural  purposes. 

At  that  time  patent  fertilizers  and  fashionable  su- 
perphosphates were  unknown ;  in  fact,  Guanos  in  this 
country  had  been  used  but  a  short  time,  hence  the 
anxiety  of  scientific  men  to  develop  the  great  masses 
of  Marls  which  were  found  on  the  banks  of  rivers  in 
South  Carolina. 

We  well  remember  relating,  too,  an  incident  which 
occurred  some  years  ago  regarding  these  rocks.  A 
5 


66  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

gentleman  of  Saint  Andrew's  *  had  a  large  quantity 
of  the  rocks  pounded  at  considerable  expense,  in- 
tending to  use  it  as  a  fertilizer,  but  Mr.  Ruffin,  and 
the  party  who  accompanied  him  on  the  visit,  dis- 
suaded the  old  gentleman  from  using  it  by  saying  it 
would  produce  no  beneficial  effect.  This  was  in  the 
year  1843. 

After  selecting  the  specimens  intended  for  analysis, 
the  Doctor  remarked  "  that  the  small  specimen  which 
he  possessed  was  obtained  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Charleston,"  but  did  not  name  the  locality,  or  from 
whom  he  had  received  it,  nor  did  we  ask  him.  He 
also  remarked  "  it  contains  a  much  larger  quantity 
of  Phosphate  of  Lime  than  is  known  from  published 
accounts  of  the  Ashley  rocks,  by  Shepard  or  Tuomey, 
and  that  it  was  valuable  as  a  fertilizer  if  all  the  Ash- 
ley rocks  were  of  the  same  quality ;  though  if  found 
in  quantity,  as  we  had  represented,  he  was  fearful  the 
average  percentage  of  Phosphate  of  Lime  would  not 
be  so  great,  as  our  specimens  indicated  a  greater 
amount  of  silex  iron  and  lime  than  was  found  in  that 
in  his  possession." 

The  day  after  this  interview  Dr.  Pratt  informed 
me  that  the  analysis,  though  not  completed,  indicated 
to  his  surprise  even  greater  results  than  he  had 
obtained  from  his  specimen,  and  that  it  was  reduced 
to  a  certainty  that  the  Ashley  Ferry  rocks  were  un- 
doubtedly much  richer  in  Phosphate  of  Lime.  When 
the  analysis  was  completed  it  was  ascertained  to  con- 

*  The  late  Jno.  S.  Brisbane,  Esq. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  67 

tain  nearly  SIXTY  PER  CENT.  OF  PHOSPHATE  OF  LIME. 
Dr.  Pratt  then  said  :  "  The  question  with  me  now  is, 
the  extent  of  the  formation,  and  this  must  be  looked 
into  at  once."  Again  we  rejoined,  "  This  is  well 
known,  and  though  we  cannot  take  you  up  to  the 
Ashley,  to-day,  because  of  engagements  at  the  Col- 
lege, we  will  send  Mr.  Jonathan  Lucas  with  you  to- 
morrow, and  you  can  then  see  and  judge  for  yourself; 
for  he  knows  the  stratum  and  its  outcrop,  having 
been  with  us  during  the  war,  whilst  engaged  manu- 
facturing saltpetre."  At  the  same  time  we  also  told 
the  Doctor  that  the  extent  of  this  deposit  was  marked 
upon  a  map  which  was  still  in  our  possession,  and 
it  should  be  looked  for.  The  map  was  afterwards 
found  and  submitted  to  him  for  examination. 

The  necessary  arrangements  being  made,  Dr.  Pratt 
left  the  next  day  with  Mr.  Lucas  for  Ashley  Ferry, 
saw  the  rock  in  situ,  and  admitted  "it  surpassed  his 
anticipation."  On  the  very  day  the  Doctor  and 
Mr.  Lucas  were  visiting  the  Ashley,  we  received 
Ansted's  book  from  London,  on  the  Geology  of  the 
Cambridge  Beds  of  Phosphates,  giving  in  detail  the 
analysis  of  a  rock  similar  to  that  of  the  Ashley,  and 
discovered  sometime  during  our  Confederate  War. 
His  description  of  the  Cambridge  rock  corresponds  in 
almost  every  particular  with  that  of  the  Ashley  Beds, 
and  -in  a  most  remarkable  manner  corroborated  our 
statement  made  years  ago,  viz :  that  Charleston  was 
located  geologically,  on  the  same  formation  as  that  of 
the  great  City  of  London.* 

*Holmes'  Notes,  Geology  of  Charleston,  1849. 


68  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

On  the  Doctor's  return  from  the  Ashley  (with  Mr. 
Lucas)  we  had  the  pleasure  of  placing  the  book  in 
his  hands,  and  directing  his  attention  to  the  article. 
Several  .persons  were  present  at  the  time,  and  all 
expressed  their  surprise. 

The  thickness  of  the  beds  described,  the  formation 
of  strata  and  the  percentage  of  Phosphate  of  Lime, 
were  almost  exactly  those  of  the  Ashley  Beds ;  and 
it  was  remarked,  that  if  the  war  had  not  occurred, 
which  cut  us  off  from  all  English  publications,  the 
value  of  the  Ashley  Beds  would  have  been  known  to 
Carolinians  in  1864.  The  Hon.  C.  G.  Memminger, 
was  the  first  person  to  whom  we  applied  for  aid  to 
develop  this  additional  source  of  wealth.  At  first 
he  did  not  seem  to  appreciate  its  value,  but  when  we 
exhibited  our  own  publications,  extending  through 
many  years,  and  also  the  work  of  Professor  Ansted, 
of  England,  which  had  been  received  only  the  day 
before,  he  said,  on  taking  leave  of  us :  "  That  book  of 
AnstecFs  is  of  the  first  importance  in  enabling  you 
(Dr.  Pratt  and  the  writer)  to  establish  the  worth  of  your 
discovery ;  be  careful  of  it." 

That  book  did  ultimately  convince  many  of  the 
value  of  this  discovery,  and  aided  us  greatly  in  obtain- 
ing the  necessary  means  to  develop  the  Phosphate 
deposits  of  South  Carolina. 

For  several  months  after  the  discovery,  we  were 
engaged  in  making  explorations  and  arranging  future 
work,  and  had  lost  sight  of  or  had  forgotten  to  en- 
quire concerning  the  specimen  first  analyzed  by  Dr. 
Pratt ;  and  it  was  not  until  sometime  in  the  early  part 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  69 

of  1868,  we  were  informed  by  a  friend,  Dr.  F.  Peyre 
Porcher,  that  Dr.  Ravenel  had  given  the  specimen  to 
Dr.  Pratt,  and  afterwards  by  Dr.  Pratt  himself  when 
we  told  him  of  it,  and  that  Dr.  St.  Julien  Ravenel  had 
been  enquiring  if  we  possessed  a  series  of  specimens  of 
the  several  geological  formations  found  in  the  Ash- 
ley Beds.  And  here  it  may  be  proper  to  state,  that  it 
was  the  first  time  since  the  war  that  Dr.  Ravenel  had 
conversed  with  us  about  Marls  or  geological  speci- 
mens. Dr.  Pratt  said  the  specimen  was  given  to  him 
by  Dr.  Ravenel,  who  had  analyzed  it  and  found  1 5  per 
cent,  of  Phosphate  of  Lime.  Professor  Tuomey,  as 
before  stated,  found  16  per  cent,  years  ago  in  these 
rocks.  Dr.  Pratt  analyzed  the  specimen  obtained 
from  Dr.  Ravenel,  and  found  34  per  cent,  and  after- 
wards those  placed  in  his  hands  by  us  at  the  College, 
and  found  nearly  60  per  cent,  in  them  ! 

To  continue  the  history :  After  six  WEEKS  OF  UNA- 
VAILING EXERTIONS,  in  obtaining  means  to  develop 
these  treasures  of  the  Ashley  River,  and  to  convince 
the  good  people  of  Charleston  of  the  value  of  the 
discovery,  we  were  obliged  to  resort  to  Northern 
cities  for  aid.  Mr.  James  T.  Welsman,  of  Charleston, 
one  of  the  few  who  fully  appreciated  the  discovery, 
furnished  the  necessary  funds.  Geo.  T.  Lewis  and 
Fredk.  Klett,  Esqs.,  two  gentlemen  of  Philadelphia, 
immediately  took  the  matter  in  hand,  rewarded  us 
both  for  our  discovery,  and  furnished  the  capital  for 
the  first  Phosphate  Mining  Association, —  "  The 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  Mining  and  Manufac- 
turing Company."  The  Phosphate-rocks  have  be- 


70  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

come  a  staple  article  of  commerce.  Large  ships  and 
steamers  are  daily  seeking  cargoes  from  the  Ashley, 
Stono,  Wando,  Ashepoo  and  other  rivers  ;  and  the 
State  is  now  reaping  a  great  harvest.  Over  six  mil- 
lions of  dollars  have  already  been  invested  by  North- 
ern capitalists  in  mining  and  manufacturing  the  Rocks 
into  rich  fertilizers  ;  and  many  persons  who  in  1867 
were  unbelievers,  have  now  their  thousands  invested  in 
it.  The  foregoing  is  a  simple  and  true  history  of  the 
discovery  and  development  of  the  Phosphate-rocks 
of  South  Carolina. 


THICKNESS   OF  THE  STRATUM  WITH 
YIELD   PER  ACRE. 

Fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  may  be  considered  the 
average  thickness  of  the  stratum  of  the  Phosphate- 
rocks  ;  though  there  are  many  places  where  it  has 
been  found  three  feet  thick.  Here  and  there  a  pocket 
occurs,  extending  several  feet,  and  to  as  great  a 
depth.  It  is  safe,  therefore,  in  making  estimates  of 
the  yield  per  acre  to  take  the  lowest,  that  of  fifteen 
inches.  Should  the  stratum  be  uniform  six  hundred 
tons  may  be  safely  calculated  upon  as  the  yield ; 
though  there  are  many  "  diggings "  now  returning 
eight  hundred  and  a  thousand  tons  per  acre.  No 
estimate  can  be  made  for  River  deposits ;  in  some 
places  the  rock  is  found  in  great  heaps,  accumulated 
by  the  force  of  currents,  and  then  again,  a  few  yards 
off,  the  river-bottom  is  laid  bare  from  the  same  cause. 


£ 

X 

O 


2 


>     o 


€0 

£ 

O 


133J  09 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  71 

As  you  approach  the  edges  of  the  Phosphate-rock 
basins  the  stratum  thins  out.  The  outlines  of  these 
basins  are  as  irregular  as  those  of  the  ponds  and  lakes 
of  the  present  period.  The  upheaval  of  the  coast  of 
South  Carolina  was  very  gradual,  not  sudden.  The 
Ashley  Basin  was  lifted  and  rent  near  its  centre ;  and 
thus  a  channel  for  the  river  was  made,  as  seen  in  Plate 
III.  The  stratum  underlies  the  City  of  Charleston, 
and  is  reached  at  the  depth  of  sixty  feet 

Plate  IV  is  an  illustration  of  the  relative  position  of 
the  Eocene  Marl ;  sands  and  clays,  with  imbedded 
shells  of  the  Post-Pleiocene  period,  the  strata  of  Phos- 
phate-rocks in  situ,  under  the  marsh,  and  also  as  cov- 
ered by  the  sedimentary  formation  of  river  mud. 
The  shells  in  beds  are  found  sometimes  above  the 
Phosphate-rock  stratum. 


WHY   THE   VALUE   OF  THESE  BEDS  WAS 
NOT  DISCOVERED  THIRTY  YEARS  AGO. 

How  often  have  we  heard  this  question,  and  per- 
haps we  will  hear  it  again  and  again !  There  is  but 
one  answer,  and  that  was  given  in  our  description  of 
the  Phosphate  Beds  of  South  Carolina,  before  the 
American  National  Academy  of  Science  at  Washing- 
ton, as  follows : 

A  few  years  ago  the  lands  in  Western  Pennsylvania 
were  selling  at  "  sheriffs'  prices  ;"  the  forests  had  all 
or  nearly  all  been  cut  down  and  consumed,  and  every 
source  from  whence  fuel  could  be  obtained  exhausted. 


72  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Coal  was  imported  from  England  and  other  States, 
and  the  farmers  were  "  pulling  up  stakes,"  emigrating 
West,  and  selling  their  farms  to  immigrants.  Just 
then  the  immense  beds  of  coal,  whose  outcroppings 
had  been  trodden  under  foot  for  eighty  or  ninety  years 
as  so  much  useless  stuff,  and  therefore  called  "  Stone 
Coal,"  was  discovered  to  be  of  some  value ;  in  a  short 
time  scientific  men  pointed  out  the  mode  of  using  it, 
and  Stone  Coal,  or  what  is  now  known  as  Anthracite, 
is  consumed  at  $10  per  ton,  and  those  lands  in  the 
Coal  Fields  of  the  Pennsylvania  Basin  are  worth  as 
many  dollars  as  they  brought  cents  a  few  years  ago, 
and  now  millions  of  tons  are  annually  exported. 

Why  were  these  Coal  Fields  not  utilized  fifty  or 
eighty  years  ago  ? 

Again,  the  Eastern  Whalemen  after  a  cruise  of  one 
or  two  years  have  of  late  been  returning  with  a  fourth 
or  a  half  cargo  of  oil,  reporting  the  whales  as  almost 
extinct.  Sperm  oil  advanced  to  an  unheard  of  price. 
Down  goes  the  rod  of  the  Geologist,  and  up  comes 
the  Petroleum  !  The  Pennsylvania  Petroleum  Wells 
yield  more  oil  in  one  month  than  the  whale  fisheries 
did  in  a  year!  Why  was  Petroleum  not  discovered 
fifty  years  ago  ? 

The  granitic  soils  of  New  England  had  also  of  late 
years  become  so  poor  they  did  not  yield  vegetable 
"stuff"  enough  for  the  support  of  its  quota  of  grass- 
hoppers, and  her  energetic  sons  were  daily  emigrating 
South  and  West  for  richer  lands. 

Again  the  joyful  news  is  heard  of  the  discovery  of 
whole  islands  of  guanos  in  the  Pacific,  and  immedi- 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  73 

ately  those  poor  soils  advance  in  price  from  $5  per 
acre  to  $100! 

How  is  it  these  Guano  Islands  were  not  known  one 
hundred  years  ago  ? 

We  apprehend  that  for  the  same  wise  purpose  the 
great  Architect  of  this  world  had  stored  up  these 
things  for  man's  use  in  the  future,  so,  too,  He  has  seen 
proper  not  to  reveal  their  use  or  worth  until  they  were 
required  to  minister  to  man's  happiness  and  comfort. 

The  Carolina  Marl  and  Phosphate  Beds  abound 
with  overwhelming  evidence  of  the  foreknowledge 
and  providence  of  God,  preparing  as  He  did,  and  at  a 
time  indefinitely  remote,  these  vast  stores  to  be  brought 
forth  for  man's  use  when  most  needed. 


WHAT  HAS  BEEN  DONE  TOWARDS  THE 
DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  SOUTH  CARO- 
LINA PHOSPHATE  BEDS. 

The  following  list  comprises  the  organized  compa- 
nies engaged  in  mining  and  in  manufacturing  this 
material  into  fertilizers  : 

CHARLESTON,  SOUTH  CAROLINA,  MINING  AND  MAN- 
UFACTURING COMPANY,  the  pioneer  in  developing  the 
Phosphate-rocks.  Jesse  E.  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Phila- 
delphia, is  President. 

Wando  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company,  John 
R.  Dukes,  Esq. 

Etiwan  Sulphuric  Acid  and  Superphosphate  Com- 
pany, Hon.  C.  G.  Memminger. 
6 


74  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Oak  Point  Mines,  Geo.  S.  Scott  and  D.  U.  Jennings, 
Esqs.,  Proprietors. 

Marine  and  River  Phosphate  Mining  and  Manufac- 
turing Company,  G.  W.  Williams,  Esq. 

Carolina  Fertilizer  Manufacturing  Company,  G.  W. 
Williams  &  Co.,  Agents. 

Chicora  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company,  A. 
D.  Estill,  Esq. 

Atlantic  Phosphate  Company,  F.  J.  Porcher,  Esq. 

Stono  Phosphate  Company,  Jas.  S.  Gibbes,  Esq. 

Farmers'  Fertilizing  Company,  W.  G.  Whilden,  Esq. 

Palmetto  Mining  Company,  T.  D.  Eason,  Esq. 

Pacific  Guano  Company,  J.  N.  Robson,  Esq.,  Agent. 

Wappoo  Mills  and  Ashepoo  Mines,  Jno.  B.  Sardy, 
Esq. 

There  are  also  several  minor  companies  and  private 
parties  engaged  in  mining  these  rocks. 


THE   CHARLESTON,  SO.    CA,  MINING   AND 
MANUFACTURING  COMPANY. 

The  Charleston,  S.  C.,  Mining  and  Manufacturing 
Company  was  the  pioneer  in  developing  this  great  and 
most  valuable  discovery,  and  was  organized  in  1867  ; 
Professor  F.  S.  Holmes,  of  Charleston,  as  President; 
Doctor  N.  A.  Pratt,  of  Georgia,  Chemist  and  Super- 
intendent of  Works ;  and  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Locke,  of 
Charleston,  Secretary.  The  principal  office  was  in 
Charleston,  but  as  most  of  the  directors  resided  in 
Philadelphia  a  branch  office  and  agency  was  located 
there  also. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  75 

Many  difficulties  had  to  be  surmounted;  it  was  a 
new  and  untried  field ;  thousands  of  dollars  were 
expended  before  the  proper  mode  of  working  "  THE 
DIGGINGS  "  could  be  known.  Laborers  were  scarce, 
and  the  negro,  unaccustomed  to  such  work,  accom- 
plished very  little  towards  a  day's  task.  The  best 
time  for  mining  was  during  the  summer  or  dry  season 
of  the  year,  when  the  white  laborer  could  not  with- 
stand the  chills  and  fevers  of  the  season ;  in  a  word, 
difficulties  and  oppositions  arose  every  day  and  in 
every  form.  Where  the  Company  expected  to  keep 
employed  one  thousand  laborers,  thirty  could  not  be 
placed.  The  thing  could  not  be  done  in  a  day  ;  time 
was  required  to  develop  and  work  out  the  problem. 
And  perhaps  it  was  well ;  for  had  very  great  quanti- 
ties of  the  raw  material  been  suddenly  put  upon  the 
market,  a  substance  new  and  untried,  no  one  can  tell 
what  would  have  been  the  result.  Time  was  required 
for  the  manufacturers  of  fertilizers  to  test  the  new 
material.  But  now  that  they  have  done  so  at  the 
North,  East,  South  and  West ;  in  England,  Scotland, 
Ireland,  Germany,  France  and  Spain,  the  demand  for 
the  raw  material  has  increased  twenty  fold. 

The  Charleston  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany has  expended  large  sums  in  purchasing  lands ; 
and  these  lands  are  now  valued  at  millions.  One 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  have  been  paid 
within  the  past  year  for  buildings,  wharves,  mills, 
machinery,  railroads  and  locomotives,  besides  making 
two  dividends  to  the  stockholders.  The  capital  of 
this  Company  is  $800,000,  to  be  increased,  if  clesira- 


76  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

ble,  to  ONE  MILLION.  The  following  is  an  analysis 
made  by  one  of  the  first  chemists  of  the  age,  G.  A. 
Liebig,  Esq. : 

BALTIMORE,  September  24,  1870. 
Result  of  analysis  of  a  sample  of  South   Carolina 
Phosphates,  (averaged  from  one  keg  crude,  which  was 
found  at  my  office,)  marked  ex  "  Bailey,  "  for  Messrs. 
Wm.  M.  Ellicott  &  Sons  : 
Moisture  determined  at  100°  C.  .       ...         6.225 

Phosphoric  Acid,     .         .         ..       . .     t    .  ..         28.874 

which  is  equal  to  63.034  BONE  PHOSPHATE  OF  LIME. 
Rendered  perfectly  kiln  dry  it  will  contain  of  Calc. 
BONE  PHOSPHATE  OF  LIME  67.219. 

(Signed)  G.  A.  LIEBIG. 

•In  December,  1867,  sixteen  barrels  of  the  rock 
were  collected  and  shipped  to  Philadelphia  by  the 
writer  for  general  distribution,  and  the  first  parcel 
of  Superphosphates  was  manufactured  by  Messrs. 
Potts  &  Klett  of  that  city. 

The  first  cargo,  one  hundred  tons,  was  shipped,  per 
schooner  Renshaw,  on  the  I4th  April,  1868,  to  Bal- 
timore, Md.,  by  John  R.  Dukes,  Esq.,  the  enterpris- 
ing President  of  the  Wando  Company  of  Charleston ; 
and  who  also  manufactured  the  first  Superphosphate 
from  this  rock  in  Charleston.  The  Charleston  Mining 
and  Manufacturing  Company  shipped  to  Philadelphia 
three  hundred  tons,  per  schooner  Anna  Barton,  on 
the  1 8th,  four  days  later. 

Phosphate  lands  in  the  neighborhood  of  Charles- 
ton, which  before  the  discovery  were  held  at  two  dol- 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  77 

lars  per  acre,  immediately  advanced  to  twenty,  and 
have  been  going  up  steadily  ever  since.  One  plan- 
tation, belonging  to  a  widow,  valued  formerly  at 
six  thousand  dollars,  was  bought  by  the  Charleston 
Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company  for  forty-five 
thousand,  and  is  now  valued  at  $500,000.  Sales  have 
been  lately  made  to  other  parties  at  $1.000  per  acre. 
The  Company  owns  about  ten  thousand  acres  of  the 
best  quality  Phosphate-rock  lands  carefully  selected 
by  competent  persons.  It  has  a  mining  lease  also  of 
about  twelve  thousand  acres,  for  which  they  are  to 
pay  a  royalty  of  one-tenth  of  the  rock  mined. 

On  the  resignation  of  Professor  Holmes  as  Presi- 
dent, and  Dr.  Pratt  as  Chemist  and  Superintendent, 
the  office  of  the  Company  was  removed  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  most  of  the  Directors  and  Stockholders 
reside. 

Jesse  E.  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  is  now  Presi- 
dent and  the  largest  stockholder.  Colonel  Joseph 
A.  Yates,  of  Charleston,  is  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Company's  Works  on  the  Ashley. 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  FIRST  CARGO  IN  PHIL- 
ADELPHIA. 

The  arrival  of  the  first  cargo  in  Philadelphia  caused 
no  little  excitement  in  mercantile  circles,  especially 
among  manufacturers  of  fashionable  fertilizers,  and  in 
a  very  short  time  after  the  chemists  of  that  city,  New 
York  and  Baltimore  had  pronounced  it  a  true  Bone 


78  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

Phosphate-rock,  the   Phosphate  fever  became  "  EPI 
DEMIC  "  in  those  cities. 

There  were  many  persons  who  believed  these  rocks 
to  be  true  bone,  and  the  wild  reports  circulating  con- 
firmed them  in  this  idea. 

The  teeth  of  sharks  and  other  animals  obtained 
from  the  rocks  were  magnified  in  size  to  a  marvellous 
degree  ;  some  of  the  sharks  were  reported,  on  the  best 
authority,  to  have  been  two  hundred  feet  long !  and 
the  teeth  represented  to  be  one  foot  long,  and  to  weigh 
ten  pounds  each  !  The  cargo  was  said  to  be  all  bones. 

For  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  have  never  seen 
the  fossils  from  these  rocks,  we  can  say,  that  out  of 
forty  thousand  specimens  of  sharks'  teeth  taken  from 
the  Ashley  Basin,  and  examined  by  us,  the  largest 
specimen  was  six  and  a  half  inches  long,  about  four 
and  a  half  wide,  and  weighed  two  pounds.  And, 
again  we  repeat,  the  rocks  are  not  bones  ! 


THE  WANDO  MINING  AND  MANUFACTUR- 
ING COMPANY. 

The  Wando  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company 
was  first  organized  by  Mr.  John  R.  Dukes,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Company. 

From  information  received  through  Col.  L.  M. 
Hatch,  before  the  war,  the  rock  on  Ashley  River  was 
brought  to  the  notice  of  Dr.  St.  J.  Ravenel,  then 
Chemist  of  the  Company,  who,  in  1867,  analyzed  it, 
and  found  10  to  15  per  cent.  Phosphate  of  Lime;  and 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed''  79 

from  a  specimen  obtained  from  Dr.  Ravenel,  in  1867, 
resulted,  through  the  analysis  of  Dr.  N.  A.  Pratt,  the 
information  of  the  high  percentage  of  Phosphate  it 
contains.  See  remarks  p.  69. 

The  Company  own  its  mines  on  Ashley  River,  from 
which  they  dug  and  shipped  the  first  cargo  of  rock 
that  was  sent  from  Charleston,  and  have  been  the  pio- 
neers here  in  the  manufacture  of  this  material  into  a 
fertilizer. 

They  have  mined  a  large  amount  of  crude  rock,  a 
portion  of  which  has  been  sold  to  other  Companies 
and  the  balance  manipulated,  in  this  City,  into  a  fer- 
tilizer, which  has  given  a  reputation  to  these  deposits, 
and  caused  in  a  great  degree  the  present  excitement 
in  Phosphatic  enterprises.  The  present  capital  of  the 
Company  is  $300,000. 

John  R.  Dukes,  President ;  T.  D.  Dotterer,  Super- 
intendent. 


THE     ETIWAN     SULPHURIC    ACID    AND 
SUPERPHOSPHATE    COMPANY. 

This  Company  was  organized  at  Charleston,  in  the 
year  1868,  for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing  at  home 
the  highest  grade  of  fertilizers  from  the  Native 
Bone  Phosphates  lately  discovered  in  such  abundance 
in  South  Carolina.  To  effect  this  object  it  was  neces- 
sary to  manufacture  on  a  large  scale  Sulphuric  Acid, 
which  is  the  proper  chemical  solvent  of  these  Bone 
Phosphates.  This  Company  therefore  immediately 
erected  large  Sulphuric  Acid  Chambers,  which  they 


8o  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

have  lately  extended  to  a  capacity  of  180,000  cubic 
feet ;  and  they  are  now  one  of  the  largest  manufac- 
turers of  Sulphuric  Acid  in  the  United  States — in  fact 
the  last  chamber  which  they  have  erected  exceeds 
in  size  any  other  in  the  United  States.  The  whole 
product  of  these  chambers  they  use  to  reduce  the 
Insoluble  Phosphate  Rock,  into  the  condition  of  Solu- 
ble "Superphosphate,  capable  of  being  taken  up  by 
growing  plants. 

The  location  of  the  Works  of  this  Company  is 
remarkably  fortunate.  They  occupy  the  Old  Ship 
Yard  on  Town  Creek,  about  three  miles  above  the 
City  of  Charleston,  where  the  old  frigate  John  Adams 
was  built  ;  and  have  a  secure  dock  and  deep  naviga- 
tion to  it  for  any  vessel  that  can  come  to  Charleston. 
They  have  also  railroad  communication  from  their 
Works  to  all  points,  and  can  therefore  receive  and 
deliver  with  economy  and  despatch. 

The  principle  upon  which  this  Company  is  founded 
is,  that  it  will  prepare  and  furnish  Guanos  of  the  high- 
est possible  grade  of  fertilizers.  They  guarantee  as 
high  a  percentage  of  Soluble  Phosphate  of  Lime  as 
twenty  per  cent.,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  Ammo- 
nia and  Potash  to  ensure  a  good  fertilizer.  Their 
Works  and  their  Guanos  are  called  Etiwan,  after 
the  Indian  name  of  Cooper  River,  into  which  Town 
Creek  empties.  Besides  the  prepared  fertilizers  they 
offer  to  Manufacturers  or  Planters  who  may  prefer  to 
manipulate  their  own  manures,  the  Phosphates  reduced 
to  the  condition  of  Dissolved  Bone  by  the  full  appli- 
cation of  Sulphuric  Acid;  and  thus  they  enable  parties 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed'1  8 1 

at  the  same  time  to  transport  the  acid  in  the  most 
convenient  form,  and  to  apply  to  their  compost  any 
grade  of  Soluble  Phosphate  which  may  be  desired. 

The  Grinding  Works  of  the  Company  are  also  on 
the  most  extensive  scale,  and  enable  them  to  offer  for 
sale  the  Phosphates  simply  ground  to  powder  ;  before 
any  application  of  acid  to  make  them  soluble.  In 
this  form  Bone  Phosphate  is  extensively  used  in  Mary- 
land ;  and  the  same  facilities  at  much  lower  rates  can 
be  had  from  this  Company  by  any  who  desire  mere 
ground  Bone. 

THE  OAK  POINT  MINES. 

The  Oak  Point  Mines  are  on  Wimbee  Creek,  a 
branch  of  the  Ashepoo  River,  and  about  eighteen 
miles  from  St.  Helena  bar,  convenient  for  vessels 
drawing  22  feet.  The  mines  are  owned  by  private 
parties.  Mr.  Geo.  S.  Scott,  of  New  York,  and  Mr. 
D.  U.  Jennings,  are  the  proprietors. 

The  last  named  gentleman  superintends  the  works. 


THE  MARINE  AND  RIVER  PHOSPHATE 
MINING  AND  MANUFACTURING  COM- 
PANY OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

Capital,  $500,000.     Office  No.  5,  Hayne  street. 
Officers,  Geo.  W.  Williams,  President ;  Jas.  H.  Tay- 
lor, Treasurer ;  C.  C.  Coe,  Superintendent. 

By  Act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  South 


82  Phosphate  Rocks  of  Soutli  Carolina, 

Carolina,  passed  March  ist,  1870,  this  Company  has 
the  sole  right  to  excavate  those  phosphatic  deposits 
which  underlie  the  navigable  waters  of  the  State. 
Before  commencing  active  operations,  the  Company 
employed  Professor  Charles  U.  Shepard,  Jr.,  of  the 
Medical  College  of  South  Carolina,  to  ascertain  the 
quality  and  quantity  of  the  rock  which  lay  at  their 
disposition.  In  his  report  he  alludes  to  the  alleged 
superiority  of  land  deposits  over  the  marine,  and, 
after  citing  his  own  analysis  in  support  of  his  opinion, 
writes  :  "  These  comparisons  may  serve  to  show  that, 
given  a  good  or  poor  deposit,  the  mere  exposure  to 
water,  for  even  great  length  of  time,  does  not  affect 
it  materially.  There  are  very  poor  marine  and  river 
deposits,  but  one  would  not  have  to  search  very  far  or 
in  vain,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  for  corresponding  land  beds. 
There  are  very  rich  land  deposits,  but  as  rich  marine. 
No  large  deposit  is  entirely  uniform  in  character,  but 
the  difference  between  one  deposit  and  another  has 
little  to  do  with  the  present  physical  geography." 

Having  command  of  vast  and  practically  inex- 
haustible beds,  the  Company  has  decided  to  work 
only  those  of  the  highest  grade.  At  present,  opera- 
tions are  carried  on  in  the  Wando,  Stono,  Edisto, 
Beaufort,  Bull  River,  and  other  points,  concerning 
whose  quality  Professor  Shepard  has  given  the  follow- 
ing opinions.  Of  the  Wando,  he  writes  :  "  Carefully 
cleaned  the  rock  will  analyze  58  to  62  per  cent.  Bone 
Phosphate  of  Lime."  Of  the  Stono  deposit :  "  I  have 
subjected  several  samples  to  the  chemical  analysis, 
and  am  happy  to  state  that  the  rock  is  of  high  grade. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed."  83 

When  washed  free  of  the  adhering  sand,  I  do  not 
doubt  they  will  reach  59  to  60  per  cent.  Bone  Phos- 
phate of  Lime.  An  analysis  of  phosphatic  rock, 
obtained  from  Beaufort  River,  off  Beaufort,  afforded  : 
Phosphoric  Acid,  25.90  per  cent.,  equivalent  to  Bone 
Phosphate  of  Lime,  56.54  per  cent.  Properly  cleaned, 
I  do  not  doubt  that  this  deposit  would  afford  57  to  59 
per  cent.  Phosphate  of  Lime." 

Concerning  the  deposit  in  the  Edisto  River,  Prof. 
Shepard  further  states :  The  quality  is  excellent,  as 
may  be  seen  by  the  following  analysis : 

Phosphoric  Acid,         .         .         .       28.94  per  cent. 

Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime  equiva- 
lent,         .....       63.18  per  cent. 

The  phosphatic  rock  is  dug  by  powerful  dredging 
machines,  and  washed  by  Lebby's  Patent  Washer, 
which  furnishes  a  clean  rock.  In  Bull  River  the  de- 
posit is  gathered,  partially,  by  hand,  at  low  stages  of 
the  tide\  With  the  facilities  at  the  command  of  the 
Company  it  can  furnish  two  thousand  tons  of  rock  per 
week.  The  great  resources  and  appliances  of  the  Com- 
pany for  excavating,  washing,  crushing  and  grinding 
rock  enable  them  to  offer  their  high  grade  Phosphate 
at  the  lowest  rates.  The  Phosphate  is  furnished  either 
crushed  to  a  uniform  size,  suitable  for  manufacturers, 
or  ground  to  a  fine  powder.  Each  consignment  is 
sampled  and  analyzed  by  Prof.  Shepard. 

The  Mills  of  the  Company  are  situated  on  the 
Cooper  River  (Robb's  Mills)  and  at  Oak  Point,  Bull 
River,  with  a  capacity  for  grinding  to  a  fine  powder 
one  hundred  Ions  per  day. 


84  Phosphate  Rocks  of  South  Carolina, 

CAROLINA  FERTILIZER. 


The  Phosphate  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  Car- 
olina Fertilizer,  sold  by  Geo.  W.  Williams  &  Co.,  is 
taken  from  a  deposit  at  the  Eight-Mile  Pump,  on  the 
Northeastern  Railroad.  The  land  is  owned  by  Mr. 
Masseau,  leased  to  Mr.  Moses,  and  worked  by  Mr.  W. 
L.  Bradley,  who  has  a  capital  of  $500,000  employed 
in  the  business  of  digging  Phosphates  and  manufac- 
turing Fertilizers.  The  sales  of  the  Carolina  Fertilizer 
this  year  being,  as  compared  to  those  of  last,  as  thirty 
is  to  two,  and  steadily  increasing. 


THE  CHICORA  MINES. 


The  Chicora  Company  own  mines  on  Filbean 
Creek,  near  the  centre  of  the  Ashley  Basin,  in  one  of 
the  most  favorable  localities. 

The  mill  is  worked  by  a  powerful  engine,  driving 
two  sets  of  stones ;  runs  the  washers,  crushers  and 
grinders,  which  reduces  the  rock  to  an  impalpable 
powder. 

The  process  pursued  by  this  Company  is,  first, 
washing,  then  kiln-drying,  crushing  and  grinding. 
Seventy  thousand  dollars  have  been  invested  by  this 
Company  in  Phosphate,  Mining  and  Works.  Only 
the  raw,  powdered  material  is  prepared  for  market. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bed"  85 

ATLANTIC  PHOSPHATE  COMPANY. 

The  Atlantic  Phosphate  Company  is  located  also  on 
the  Ashley ;  has  a  large  capital  of  $200,000,  and  is 
now  engaged  in  erecting  extensive  works  for  the 
manufacture  of  Superphosphates.  They  will  be  ready 
to  supply  consumers  for  the  next  crop. 


STONO  PHOSPHATE  COMPANY. 

The  Stock  of  the  Stono  Phosphate  Company  is 
owned  mainly  by  merchants  and  planters  in  the  inte- 
rior of  South  Carolina  and  the  adjoining  States ;  it 
has  also  a  large  capital  of  $350,000,  and  expects  to 
prepare  a  first-class  fertilizer.  Their  work-mills  are 
now  being  erected  on  the  banks  of  the  Ashley. 

Our  esteemed  friend  and  late  colleague,  .Professor 
Lewis  R.  Gibbes,  eminent  for  his  scientific  attainments^ 
is  the  Chemist  of  this  Company,  and  is  well  known 
and  appreciated  throughout  the  country. 

Messrs.  J.  D.  Aiken  &  Co.,  are  the  business  mana- 
gers. 


86  Phosphate  Rocks  of  SontJi  Carolina, 

FARMERS'    FERTILIZER    COMPANY    OF 
SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

This  Company  has  in  the  course  of  erection  mills 
and  machinery,  at  their  location  on  the  Ashley  River, 
outside  of  the  city  limits,  and  propose  to  erect  Acid 
Chambers  during  the  spring  of  1871. 

The  capacity  of  the  proposed  mills  will  be  about 
15,000  tons  of  Manipulated  Fertilizer  per  annum. 
The  capital  of  the  Company  will  be  $150,000.  They 
have  under  their  control  lands  for  mining  purposes 
which  indicate  a  yield  of  1,000  tons  per  acre,  the 
stratum  varying  in  thickness  from  1 8  to  36  inches. 

They  will  manipulate  for  the  next  cotton  crop. 
The  Company  is  composed,  to  a  great  extent,  of  plan- 
ters residing  in  this  and  the  adjoining  States. 


THE   PALMETTO    MINING  AND   MANUFAC- 
TURING COMPANY, 

The  Palmetto  Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company 
own  about  one  thousand  acres  of  Phosphate  lands, 
situate  on  Ashley  River ;  employ  about  one  hundred 
operatives,  and  expect  to  wash  fifteen  thousand  tons 
of  Rock  annually.  Their  works  are  now  in  course  of 
erection,  and  have  already  dug  twenty-five  hundred 
tons  of  Phosphate-rocks.  T.  D.  Eason,  Esq.,  is  the 
President. 


And  the  "  Great  Carolina  Marl  Bedr  87 

PACIFIC  GUANO  COMPANY. 

The  Pacific  Guano  Company  own  extensive  mills 
just  out  of  the  city  limits  of  Charleston.  Capital, 
$1,000,000.  Dr.  St.  Julien  Ravenel  is  the  chemist 
and  scientific  advisor,  and  Mr.  J.  N.  Robson,  the  busi- 
ness agent.  The  Ashley  Phosphate-rock  is  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  their  fertilizer,  known  as  Soluble 
Pacific  Guano. 


J.  B.  SARDY'S  WORKS. 

The  Wappoo  Mills,  opposite  the  City  of  Charleston, 
have  been  lately  purchased  by  this  enterprising  gen- 
tleman, and  converted  into  Phosphate-rock  Mills. 
Mr.  Sardy  obtains  the  rock  from  his  mines  on  the 
Ashepoo  River ;  he  is  an  old  and  experienced  ma- 
nipulator of  fertilizers,  having  offices  in  Savannah, 
Ga.,  and  New  York. 

Messrs.  Geo.  A.  Trenholm  &  Son  are  his  business 
agents  in  Charleston. 


Jgggf13 Information  regarding  Phosphate-rocks,  and 
the  Phosphate  business,  can  be  obtained  at  Professor 
Holmes'  office,  in  the  rear  of  Holmes'  Book  House, 
Charleston. 


1 

CHARLESTON,  SOUTH  CAROLINA, 


I 


lAlOFACTIIIIIG  CflMPAIl 

OFFICE  132  WALNUT  STREET, 

PHILADELPHIA, 


JESSE  E.  SMITH,  President. 
J.  H.  KIMBALL,  Vice-President. 
W.  E.  SIMPSON,  Secretary. 
JOS.  A.  YATES,  Superintendent. 


DIRECTORS : 


Prof.  P.  S.  HOLMES. 
T.  J.  SUMNER. 
J.  E.  SMITH. 


Dr.  IS".  A.  PRATT. 
S.  F.  FISHER. 
Dr.  GEORGE  FOX. 


GEO.  T.  LEWIS 

This  Company  is  now  prepared  to  receive  and 
execute  promptly  Orders  from  Manufacturers  for 
their  high  grade  Bone  Phosphates. 


GREATLY    IIVCRE  A.  S  E  Z>     CROPS 

BY  THE  USE  OF 

Tn©  Best  and  Most  Reliable  Home-Made  Fertilizer, 


MANUFACTURED    BY    THE 


At  their  Works  in  Charleston,  8.  C. 

WM.  O.  DUKES  &  CO 

GENERAL  AGENTS, 


3\To. 


ETIWAN  GUANOS, 

SOLUBLE  MANURES, 


MANUFACTURED  AT  THE 


ETIWAN    WORKS, 

,  S.  C., 


Prof,  N,  A,  PRATT, 

Chemist. 

W,  W,  MEMMINGER,  M,  DM 


C,  G,  MEMMINGER, 

rresIeLent. 


Cliemlst, 

The  now  well-known  ETIWAN  GUANO  is  manufactured  from  the  Native  Bone  Phosphates  of 
South  Carolina.  These  Phosphates  in  their  natural  state  are  Insoluble,  and  require  to  be  ground  to 
powder,  *nd  made  .Soluble  by  Sulphuric  Acid.  This  Company  have  now  in  operation  the  largest  Sul- 
phuric Acid  Chambers  at  the  South,  and  are,  therefore,  able  to  manufacture  at  the  lowest  rates,  the 
highest  grade  of  Fertilizer  }  it  being  clear  that  the  greater  the  proportion  of  Soluble  Phosphate  which 
any  Fertiliser  contains,  the  less  the  quantity  required  per  acre.  In  order  to  make  the  Fertilizer  com- 
plete, Ammonia  and  Potash  in  sufficient  quantities  are  added.  With  these  views  the  Company  manu- 
facture and  offer  for  sale 


Warraated  to  contain  from  15  to  20  PER  CENT.  OF  DISSOL  VED  DONE  PHOSPHA  TE  OF  LIME, 
and  from  2  to  2£  per  cent,  of  AMMONIA,  with  a  sufficient  addition  of  PERUVIAN  GUANO 
and  POTASH,  to  adapt  it  to  all  crops. 

ZDISSOXjTTESID    lOOHNTIE, 

Of  high  grade,  suitable  for  Manufacturers  or  for  Planters,  being  in  itself  an  excellent  Fertilizer,  and 
specially  adapted  for  compost.  As  large  quantities  of  Sulphuric  Acid  are  used  to  dissolve  the  Phos- 
phate, this  will  be  found  a  cheap  and  convenient  way  to  transport  that  material.  The  grade  fur- 
nished will  be  from  18  to  2O  percent.  Dissolved  Boae  Phosphate.  Still  higher  grades  will  be  furnished 
to  order  at  an  additional  price  per  centage. 

OH-OTJI^ID      ZBOnVTIE, 

At  much  lewer  rates,  consisting  simply  of  the  Native  Bone  Phosphates  ground  to  powder. 


WM.  C.  BEE  &  CO., 

Agents,  No.  14  Adder's  Wharf. 


N.  B. — The  percentage  of  Dissolved  Bone  Phosphate  of  Lime,  and  Ammonia  in  all  the  Etiwans, 
is  ascertained  at  the  Works,  by  their  Chemist,  before  delivery.  Should  any  purchaser  be  dissatisfied, 
he  may  return  average  samples  of  any  purchase,  within  thirty  (30)  days  after  delivery,  and  they  will 
be  analyzed  anew,  and  any  deficiency  in  the  percentage  guaranteed  will  be  made  good  to  him  by  the 
Company. 


Wappoo  Mills,  Ashley  River, 

NEAB  SAVANNAH  BAILROAD  DEPOT, 

o  33C.A.  i^  I*  33  s*  T  <i>  isr  ,  s  .  o  „ 

These  "Works  are  now  in  full  operation,  manufacturing  Sardy's 
well  known 


SOLUBLE  PHOSPHO  PERUVIAN  GUANO, 

AMMONIATED  SOLUBLE  PACIFIC  GUANO, 

Bone  Phosphate,  Soluble  Ammoniated. 

N.  B. — Compounded  with  No.  1  Peruvian  Guano  and  animal 
matter,  in  proportions,  specially  adapted  to  the  Southern  cli- 
mate and  soil,  and  to  the  production  and  support  of  the  Cotton 
plant  and  cereals. 

All  these  Fertilizers  have  been  extensively  and  successfully 
used  by  prominent  planters  in  the  South  for  many  years,  and 
are  pronounced  the  most  reliable  and  profitable. 

GROUND  BONE  PHOSPHATE, 

ASHEPOO  MINES, 

(Considered  by  Professor  SHEPARD  the  best  in  the  State.) 

J.  B.  SARDY  offers  for  Bale  the  above  acticle,  RENDERED  SOLUBLE, 
in  packages,  at  $37.50  per  ton  of  2,000  Ibs.,  or  without  acid,  at  $20  per  ton. 
These  works  are  under  the  inspection  of 

Prof.  SHEPARD,  State  Inspector  of  Fertilizers, 

and  all  packages  will  bear  his  stamp. 

Gen.  Agents,  G.  A.TRENHOLM  &  SON. 
Agents,  GHAESElt  &  SMITH. 

J.B.  SARDY. 

Jr.  B.— Circulars  and  pamphlets  may  be  had  on  application  a»  above. 


Bull  River,  So.  Ca. 


i;  S,  SCOTT  &  D.  D,  MNIK 


ROPRIETORS, 


These  Mines  are  situated  on  KEAN'S  NECK,  at 
the  confluence  of  North  and  South  Wimbee  Creeks. 

The  landing  is  about  eighteen  miles  from  St. 
Helena  Bar.  Large  vessels  drawing  twenty-two  feet 
of  water  can  approach  within  two  miles  of  the  mines. 

Analyses,  by  competent  chemists  in  this  country 
and  Europe  show,  that  the  ROCK  from  these  mines  is 
in  quality  UNSURPASSED  BY  ANY  YET  SENT 
TO  MAEKET.  It  has  found,  and  continues  to  find, 
ready  sale  in  England,  where  60  per  cent,  of  Bone 
'Phosphate  is  demanded  as  a  standard. 

The  Mines  are  worked  under  the  supervision  of 
Mr.  D.  U.  JENNINGS,  whose  office  is  No.  12  Broad 
Street,  Charleston,  S.  C.,  where  specimens  and  analy- 
ses may  be  seen  and  further  information  obtained. 


T  IK  IE 

MARINE  &  RIVER 

PHOSPHATE  MINING 


AND 


Manufacturing  Company 


OF 


,    -    -    S5OO,OOO, 


Office  No.  5  Hayne  Street, 

CHAKLESTON,  S.  C. 


OFFICERS. 

GEO.  W.  WILLIAMS,  PRESIDENT. 
JAS.  H.  TAYLOR,  TREASURER. 
C.  C.  COE,  SUPERINTENDENT. 

This  Company  is  now  prepared  to  deliver  Phos- 
phate Rock  of  HIGH  GRADE,  in  any  quantities, 
crude,  crushed  or  ground  to  powder. 


The  "CAROLINA  FERTILIZER"  is  made  from  the  Phosphates  of  South  Carolina,  and 
is  pronounced  by  various  Chemists  one  of  the  best  Manures  known,  only  inferior  to  Peruvian 
Guano  in  its  Fertilizing  Properties.  These  Phosphates  are  fully  described  in  this  volume, 
and  possess  qualities  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  agriculturist. 

We  annex  the  analysis  of  Professor  Shepard  : 

Anal      k  of*  f  rARLoAiB,^A^pJr?iFy^E  MEDIC*L  COLLEGE  OK  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

Analysis  of  a  sample^of  CAROLINA  FERTILIZER,  personally  inspected. 

Organic  Matter,  with  some  water  of  combination  expelled  at  low  red  heat 

Fixed  Ingredients 

A  t, >,,-,,!,.;.,  Mt.S" 


Ammonia 

Insolu 


Equivalent  to  13.48  Insoluble  (bone). 


24.75  Phosphate  of  Lime.. 
Equivalent  to  23.R5  Sulphate  of  Lime. 


Sulphuric  Acid _ „ „ 11.01 

Sulphate  of  Potash 

Sulphate  of  Soda „ ........"..^~'. .„    3  50 

Sand — ..'."".'"."".'.'.'.  li!o6 

On  the  strength  of  these  results  I  am  glad  to  certify  to  the  superiority  of  the  CAROLINA  FERTILIZKR. 

C.  U,  8HEPAKD,  Jr. 


examined. 


BED.  W,  WILLIAMS  &  CO,  Factors,  Hetoi,  S,  C, 


The  mines  of  this  Company  are  situated  a  few 
miles  from  Charleston,  S.  C.,  directly  in  the  Ashley 
Basin,  furnishing  Phosphate  Rocks  of  the  highest 
grade. 

The  Mills  are  now  in  full  operation,  and  the  Com- 
pany prepared  to  furnish 

PULVERIZED  RAW  PHOSPHATES, 

such  as  is  described  in  this  book  by  Prof.  HOLMES. 


A.  D.  ESTILL, 

President  and  Superintendent. 

THOS.  L.  WITSELL, 

Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

DIRECTORS. 

JOHN  H.  HOLMES. 
R.  SIEGLING. 
J.  S.  MURDOCH. 
T.  A.  JEFFORDS. 

All  business  communications  should  be  addressed 
to  THOS.  L.  WITSELL,  Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
46  East  Bay,  Charleston.  South  Carolina. 


THE  ATLANTIC 


DIRECTORS. 


OF 

CHARLESTON,  S.  C., 

Was  organized  at  a  meeting  of  Stockholders,  held  on 
the  25th  May,  1870,  and  the  following  officers  elected : 

F.  J.  PORCHER,  PRESIDENT. 
F.  J.  PELZER,  TREASURER. 
WM.  LEBBY; 
W.  P.  HALL, 

L.  D.  DESAUSSURE, 
B.  G.  PINCKNEY, 

The  object  of  this  Company  is  to  manipulate  the 
Phosphates  of  this  State  at  their  works  on  the  Ash- 
ley River,  about  one  mile  above  the  city  limits. 

PELZER,  RODGERS  &  CO. 

GENERAL  AGENTS, 

BROWN  &  CO.'S  WHARF, 


10 

THE  STONO 


Of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

Is  now  erecting  extensive  works  on  Ashley  River, 
and  will  furnish  a  first-class  fertilizer  for  the  next 
year's  crop.  It  expects  also  to  engage  largely  in  for- 
eign shipments  of  Phosphate  Rocks. 

The  services  of  Professor  L.  R.  Gibbes,  the  distin- 
guished Chemist  of  the  College  of  Charleston,  has 
been  secured ;  he  will  have  charge  of  the  chemical 
department,  thereby  insuring  to  consumers  a  genuine 
fertilizer  of  high  grade. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 

JAMES  S.  GIBBES,  CHAIRMAN. 
HENRY  GOURDIN. 
•  GEORGE  S.  CAMERON. 
ROBERT  MURE. 
CHAS.  H.  SIMONTON. 
J.  D.  AIKEN. 

A.  J.  WHITE- 

B.  F.  HUGER,  JR. 

HON.  JAS.  CHESTNUT,  Camden,  S.  C. 

R.  N.  HEMPHILL.  Chester. 

A.  B.  SPRINGS,  York. 

ADAM  JOHNSTON,  Augusta,  Ga. 

GEO.  W.  SCOTT,  Tallahassee,  Florida. 

All  business  communications  must  be  addressed  to 

J.  D.  AIKEN  &  CO., 


CHARLESTON,  S.  C. 

iliiiil 


11 


FARMERS' 
FERTILIZER  COMPANY 

OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

WILLIAM  G.  WHILDEN,  President. 
A.  H.  MAZYCK,   Treasurer. 
HENRY  T.  PEAKE,  Superintendent. 
HUTSON  LEE,  Clerk. 


William  G.  Whilden,  of  Charleston.  Dr.  G.  Mason  Strong,  of  Charlotte, 

Col.  John  B.  Palmer,  of  Columbia.  N.  C. 

C.  L.  Burckmyer,  of  Charleston.  Archibald  Cameron,  of  Charleston. 

George  H.  McMaster.  of  Fairfield.  T.  B.  Jeter,  of  Union. 

B.  D.  Lazarus,  of  Charleston.  A.  Lengnick,  of  Charleston. 

William  Beattie,  of  Greenville.  George  Wm.  Cooper,  of  Sumter. 

Andrew  P.  Caldwell,  of  Charleston.  E.  M.  Gilbert,  of  Charleston. 

Col.  D.  Wyatt  Aiken,  of  Abbeville.  Major  James  Pagan,  of  Chester. 

Kichard  M.  Butler,  of  Charleston.  John  Hanckel,  of  Charleston. 

OHARLESTOIV,     S.     C. 

Will  furnish  to  consumers  their  Fertilizers,  which 
are  equal  to  any  manipulated  from  the  Carolina 
Phosphates.  The  other  ingredients  used  in  the  ma- 
nipulations are  such  as  have  been  thoroughly  tested, 
practically  and  scientifically,  as  requisite  in  agricul- 
ture, and  we  guarantee  the  "high  grade  of  our  Ferti- 
lizers. A  large  number  of  the  Stockholders  of  this 
Company  beiilg  farmers  and  planters,  it  is  our  inter- 
est to  offer  only  a  first-class  article. 

Our  Fertilizers  can  be  obtained  from  our  Agents 
in  this  and  the  adjoining  States,  at  Factory  prices, 
with  freight  and  expenses  added,  or  from  the  works 
of  the  Company,  on  the  South  Carolina  and  North- 
Eastern  Railroads,  near  the  city,  or  by  addressing 
the  President  at  the  office  of  the  Company,  29  Hayne 
Street,  orders  will  receive  prompt  attention. 


12 


PALMETTO  MINING 


-A.2STID 


OF 


SOUTH 

Mines  and  Factory  situated  on  Ashley  River, 


THOS.  D.  EASON,  PRESIDENT. 
C.  R.  HOLMES,  TREASURER. 


CHAS.  H.  WEST.  T.  D.  EASOJST. 

ROBT.  Q.  PINCKNEY.      JNO.  S.  FAIRLY. 
C.  R.  HOLMES. 


Will  furnish  in  quantities,  to  suit  purchasers,  the 
Pure  Ashley  River  Phosphate  Rock  and  the  Ground 
Bone  Phosphate,  which  we  guarantee  to  be  fully  up 
to  standard. 

Planters  will  be  supplied  on  reasonable  terms  with 
the  Ground  Bone  Phosphate,  which  is  highly  recom- 
mended as  a  basis  for  a  compost. 

THURSTON  &  HOLMES,  Agents, 

ADGER'S  NORTH  WHARF, 

CHARLESTON,  S.  C. 


13 
TO 


SOLUBLE  PACIFIC  GUANO. 

The  highly  satisfactory  and  remarkable  effects  of 
this  Guano  in  producing  very  largely  increased  crops 
of  Cotton,  Corn,  and  other  staple  crops,  has  attracted 
the  general  attention  of  Planters  and  Farmers. 

In  order  to  confirm  public  confidence  in  the  con- 
tinued excellence  of  this  Guano,  and  avail  of  the  best 
scientific  ability  in  the  prosecution  of  this  important 
business,  the  PACIFIC  GUANO  COMPANY  has 
consummated  a  professional  engagement  with  Dr.  ST. 
JULIEN  RAVENEL,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  as  scientific 
Adviser  and  Consulting  Chemist  to  the  Company. 

Dr.  Ravecel  is  conversant  with  the  composition 
and  qualities  of  the  Guano,  as  well  as  with  the  char- 
acter, policy  and  unusual  resources  of  the  PACIFIC 
GUANO  COMPANY,  and  will  communicate  full  in- 
formation on  these  points  to  planters  who  may  call 
on  him,  or  address  him  by  letter,  at  Charleston,  S.  C. 

CT.    1ST.    K.OBSO3ST, 

for     Sontli     Oarolina. 


Peruvian  Guano,, 

Direct  from  the  agent,  warranted  pure,  for  sale  at  market  rates, 
with  a  liberal  discount  in  lots  of  five  tons  or  more. 

J.   N.    ROBSON, 

COMMISSION  MERCHANT, 

Mos.  1  &  2  Atlantic  Wharf, 

CHARLESTON,  SO.  GA. 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 

AT 
LOS  ANGELES 


.      f .  COR.      lNG  f  ENTWORTH      TREETS, 

Charleston,  S.  C. 

Keep  constantly  en  hand  an  unsurpassed  stock  of 

THEOLOGICAL,  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
MISCELLANEOUS,  SCHOOL, 

AND 

COLLEGE  TEXT-BOOKS, 

8BWA5D  OA1PS,  TI1WS 

And  all  Requisites  for  Sabbaih-Schools. 

Engineers',  Surveyors'  and  Draughtmen's  Supplies 
Ix  EVERY  VARIETY 

PHILOSOPHICAL  INSTRUMENTS, 

.•     MA?S,  SLOBIIS,  &c, 

ALSO  A  FINK  MXR  OF 

American  and  Foreign  Stationerjr. 

Orders  promptly  attended  to.     Ad<lr-\<s 

HOLMES'  BOOK-HOUSE, 

,     ^.     C. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DEC  C  3 1992 


UCLA/PST 


MAR  2  9  IS 

CftP 


1<  94 


DAMS 


Form  L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 


Phosphate 
U5H73      roc 

South 

Carolina. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001287189    3 


914 

U5H73 


The  RALPH  D.  REED  LIBRARY 


